One student who participated in the packing, David R., a freshman at Texas A&M University, was so moved by the experience that he went home organized an event on A&M’s campus on May 5th. The students at A&M exceeded their goal of 100,000 meals, both in funds raised and meals packed.

Brilliant!

親愛的巴西弟兄姐妹們，

你們好！！！！！！！！

Passion 聖保羅將要來到！你們都非常興奮嗎？你們準備好了群集一起敬拜至高的君王嗎？你們準備好要在你們的城市，在你們的國家，還有在這個世界裏使耶穌聞名嗎？如果你說是的話，那麽你和我就有共同的心跳了。感謝主！

我的名字叫Sam。我來自中國。我很感恩能幾度在香港和美國參加Passion會議。今年6月，Passion香港又一次震動了我的世界！我永遠也不會忘記那震撼的一刻 – 當時我們所有參加Passion香港的三千多個大學生，為著巴西的大學生來禱告。我們祈求你們會為Passion聖保羅而興奮起來，你們會受到極大的激勵而加入到世界性的Passion運動中，使耶穌聞名。對 – 你就是我們代禱的對象。而且我們並沒有停止過為你們禱告。今天，我依然帶著我的手帶，背面寫著“Passion 聖保羅 9月3-4日”。雖然我們從沒見過面，但我每天都為你們禱告。

朋友們，準備出發去Passion 聖保羅吧！記住到時要喊得大聲一點，好使我們在中國也能聽見你們的聲音！

願神祝福你們！

Sam

Dear brothers and sisters in Brazil,

Hello!!!!!!!!!

Passion Sao Paulo is coming soon! Are you so excited? Are you ready to get together to worship the King of the most High? Are you ready to make Jesus famous in your city, in your country and in the world? If you say yes, then you and I have the same heartbeat. Praise the Lord!

My name is Sam. I am from China and I was blessed to attend several Passion Conferences in Hong Kong and the US. Passion HK this June ROCKED my world again! I will never forget the powerful moment when over 3000 of us Chinese college students praying together at Passion HK for college students in Brazil. We prayed that you will get fired up for Passion Sao Paulo, that you will be inspired to join this world-wide Passion Movement to make Jesus famous. Yes – YOU are the ones we were praying for. And we have not stopped praying. Today, I still have my wristband on with the back saying “Passion Sao Paulo 3/4 Sept” and I am thinking of you every day even though we have never met.

Get ready for Passion Sao Paulo, my friend! Make sure you shout so loud there that we can hear it in China!

God bless you!

Sam

in Portuguese:

Queridos irmãos e irmãs no Brasil,

Olá!!!!!!

Passion São Paulo está chegando! Vocês estão animados? Estão prontos para se reunir e adorar o Rei sobre todas as coisas? Estão prontos para fazer Jesus famoso na sua cidade, no seu país e no mundo? Se você disse sim, então os nossos corações estão no mesmo ritmo. Glória a Deus!

Meu nome é Sam. Eu sou da China e fui abençoado em participar várias vezes das conferências Passion tanto em Hong Kong como nos EUA. Passion Hong Kong em junho impactou profundamente o meu mundo, de novo! Eu nunca esquecerei o momento poderoso em que mais de 3000 de nós universitários chineses estávamos orando durante o Passion HK pelos estudantes do Brasil. Nós oramos para que vocês sejam incendiados no Passion SP, e que vocês sejam inspirados a participar desse movimento mundial do Passion de fazer Jesus famoso. Sim – era por VOCÊS que nós estávamos orando. E nós não paramos de orar. Hoje, eu ainda estou com a minha pulseira no braço, e no verso diz “Passion São Paulo 3 e 4 de setembro” e eu estou pensando em vocês todo dia, embora nós nunca nos conhecemos.

Se prepare para o Passion São Paulo, meu amigo! E garanta que vocês gritem tão alto que nós poderemos ouvi-los na China!

Deus abençoe vocês!

Sam

____________________________

Thanks to everyone in HK who is still praying for Brazil….

See you in Sao Paulo soon! LG and the Passion Team

It’s hard to believe, but in a month from today we will be on our way to São Paulo, Brazil, for two amazing days of Passion São Paulo! We are expecting great things and believing God for something supernatural that will ripple through the entire country and the world.  The dates are Sept 3/4 and all the info/tickets are on Passion World Tour Site.

I know few Brazilians may see this post, but for everyone else in the world I wanted you to A) be encouraged and B) pray for the 289 campuses represented so far at this gathering.

Not counting the first school, which is most certainly in Texas (maybe this student is coming for Passion SP, is studying abroad, is working for a Brazilian cause?!?!), this list represents a broad cross-section of campuses throughout the nation and reflects the hope that change can come to Brazil as a result of this gathering.

Brazilian buzz is spreading, so stake your place and don’t miss it!

LG

Also, check out the Happiness video–our very cool low budget promo video for 2011–and help us spread the word!

Five amazing Passion WT stops are in the books, but the ripples continue and will be felt for a long, long time to come. We couldn’t have done it without a beautiful orange-shirted wave of incredible volunteers, hundreds of smiling, serving people who helped make these gatherings all they could be.  These are the unsung heroes of the Passion World Tour team and a vital part of everything we do.  So to our Passion Event staff team (Cheryl, Daniele, Esther, Blake and sometimes Brad), to our Team Leads in each city and to all who gave so freely in Kyiv, London, Tokyo, Manila and Hong Kong, thank you!

LG

One word.
Wow!
OK, two.
Very humbled.

Tonight.
China.
Hong Kong.
Alive.
For Jesus.

Thousands of hands.
Raised.
High.
For Jesus.

Mainland.
Represent.
From Beijing.
They came.
For some a 24+ hour train ride.
Brought them here.
Joining.
A sea of faces.

Shanghai.
And Guangzhou.
In the house.

The future.
Bright.
In China.
Many Believe.
And want to live for His fame.

Don’t count God out.
His hand.
Is strong.
His grace.
Here.

One day.
China will bring Jesus.
To the whole world!

Tonight.
Special.
Rare.
Thank you Manila.
Your prayers.
Our fuel.

Crowder.
Tomlin.
Explode.
Chapman translates.
Makes things better.
Team.
Strong.

Five cities.
Pause now.
São Paulo coming!
HK praying.

Tonight.
Spent.
Stretched.
Grateful.
Happy.
Privileged.
His!

It’s Monday across the thousands of islands that make up The Philippines and somewhere a student is still proudly rocking their Passion Manila/Passion HK wristband, praying and believing for great things to come in Hong Kong five days from now.  And they are not alone.

Together, they’re getting random stares, puzzled looks, inquisitive questions and shrugged-shoulder responses on the bus, in class, at the store, around the house and at work.  Yet they are standing firm, forming a beautiful link in a generation that spans the globe.  (That’s not to say you have to be a wristband wearer to be a part of the Jesus-generation that’s rising up on every continent…just that a few crazy Filipinos are!)

The wristband is a simple thing, yet a powerful reminder of life-shaping days in God’s presence and, as is the case with the World Tour, a visible encouragement  to pray for the students ahead.  And we’re not just talking about Manila.  This week, during a quick pit-stop in Atlanta, I met a girl still going strong with her wristband from Passion Atlanta!!  (Hello…that’s five months and counting…mind you, she said she was down to layer three…which makes me wonder, is there a layer four?)  I’m sure someone from the WT stops in Kiev,  London and Tokyo is doing the same…and know there are more who have a wristband in their journal, tacked to the wall, taped to the bathroom mirror, hanging in their car, and on and on….

Theirs are the hands across the world, hands united by a common Savior…hands outstretched to love the world in Jesus’ name.

And speaking of Manila, thank you to the university student who wrote to us back in 2001 after watching the Passion OneDay DVD.  Your email was one of the first to ever reach us from outside the USA and in it you shared how moved you were at seeing your generation gathered for His fame.  And then you did it…you asked if we would ever  consider hosting a Passion gathering in The Philippines!  Our team will never forget reading your email together…stunned that ripples from our little movement had reached your shores and thrilled about the prospect of uniting university students across the world.  We just looked at each other in amazement…and wondered if that could ever happen…and what it would look like to be with thousands of Pinoy Believers going for God.

Well, now we know.  So, wherever you are, thank you for your vision and for helping make Passion Manila possible not once, but twice!  And, thank you, Manila, for praying for Hong Kong…and thank you Atlanta, Kyiv, London, Tokyo and every city/student before who has leaned into this journey with us.

Hong Kong, you’re next!  We are expecting great things as your hands join the wave.  If you haven’t already made plans to be there, get your tickets today!  Passion Hong Kong.  Saturday, June 5. HK Convention Centre.  Passion HK info and tickets here.

LG

OK…I’ve said it before.

But I’m saying it again.
Words fail.

Tonight.
The Big Dome!
Became the Big Loud Dome!

Awakening.
Passionate Pinoy people.
Full on.
Full of faith.

People.
Make no mistake.
Jesus is alive.
In Manila.

Tokyo.
Your prayers blew this place up.
For real.
All time.

HK.
Did you hear the shout?
I am pretty sure you could hear it!

Ears are ringing.
Heart is pounding.
Humbled.

Long live Jesus in Manila!
Mabuhay!
Thank you Manila.
Thank you great Savior!

LG

Night is settling on Tokyo…and an amazing night it was!
What an honor.
Right place.
Right time.
Tokyo.
Japan.

Coolest venue ever!
Japanese make cool stuff.
Rare that Christians use it.
Secular promoter took a chance on us.
He’s not a believer.
Yet.
But helped us anyway.
Came tonight.
Stayed till the end.
Hosts concerts of every size/kind.
Said he’d never seen anything like it.
“The young people’s eyes were shining!”
Yes to that.
He said it touched him deeply.
Told him it was not just music.
But the God of the songs!

Energy.
Faith.
Not polite.
Yet really reverent at times.
So loud at others.
Such a hunger.
Special, special night.

So worth it.
Investment.
Mattered.

Tomlin and band killed!
KILLED!
Not sure how I did.
BUT Katsumi, my translator was awesome.
I mean AWESOME!

London, your voices were heard.
Your faces seen.
Your shout received!

God has a plan.
A purpose.
A time.
He is sovereign over Tokyo.
The time is now?

Beautiful faces.
Many love Jesus.
One non-believing student told a friend…
“I didn’t know there were this many Christians…
In Tokyo!”
Thanks for inviting your friend.
Praying they will pursue the sound they heard tonight.
Pursue the grace we celebrated.

Hope abounds.
Millions wait.
For the Son.
Of God.
To be shared.

Never count Him out.
Our God.
Is Greater.
Stronger.
Higher.
Than any other!
Healer.
Awesome in power.
Our God.

Manila.
You’re up.
Tokyo is for you.
Behind you.
Praying.

Tokyo.
We love you.
LG

Some crazy costume event, you ask? No, just a normal day out and about in Shibuya and Harajuku, two of Tokyo’s vibrant (if not slightly bizarre) areas and two of the most culture-forward places on earth.  The main Shibuya intersection pictured above is said to be one of the busiest in the world, a place where thousands cross the street(s) every time the lights change.

“Oh, you can find a few kids like this in Tokyo,” you ask?  Nope. Not a few, but tens of thousands fill the streets at all times (hundreds of thousands at peak times), where the emphasis is squarely on “the look” you’re rocking and the “vibe” you’re sporting.  In a pretty short period of time you can see it all, and though everyone seems to want to break the mold, after a few minutes no one seems to stand out anymore.

But, if you dig youth culture (and love young people) it’s the place you want to be…and the place you can’t help but ask, “How will the gospel come to them?  Who is God going to use to bridge the gap and bring awakening here?”  I certainly don’t have the answers, but I believe the time is now.  Tokyo’s youth await…and I think it won’t take much to turn the tide and start a revolution.

For our team there’s no place we’d rather be tonight…

Peace out and stay tuned…