Day 7Bobby and Gayle Pruett
One of Bobby Pruetts dreams is to baptize a student in the fountain at the University of Colorado in Boulder. As mission service corps missionaries, he and his wife, Gayle, have been ministering to students on that campus for 14 years.

In some ways its the Berkeley of the mountains, which means its a very free-thinking school, Bobby says. But were building up strong believers who are learning to think and defend their faith.

Bobby had plans to become an Air Force chaplain and planned his education to follow this career path until God called him to campus ministry. Through the program he named Christian Challenge, the Pruetts minister to young people who face daily battles on the university campus.

At the beginning of the fall semester, Bobby and a group of Christian students set up tables in the school courtyard where they pass out questionnaires about religious preference, contact information and other data. Later they contact these students and begin forming relationships.

The Pruetts give students food for thought at University of Colorado PHOTOS BY GIBBS FRAZEUR

I like the beginning of the year because it represents an amazing potential for student involvement and for students to consider the things of God, Bobby says. Throughout the school year, Bobby and students from Christian Challenge move throughout the campus, engaging people in conversation in the courtyards and ministering in the schools common areas. The Pruetts home is also a place of ministry. Often the Pruetts will take into their home students who could not find or afford housing. This is where part of Gayles ministry begins.

Many students here come from an unstable home life, she says. My prayer is that they would see a good model in a wife and mother doing what God calls us to do.

Whether its a long-term stay, an overnight visit or a drop in, the Pruetts second ministry to students is an open housea house with eight of their own children already.

With that many children we always have plenty of food, Gayle says. Sometimes people just want to get away from the college, and I think providing that opportunity is a ministry in itself.

The way God has enabled the Pruetts to live with such a large family and yet without a steady salary is a miracle that speaks for itself.

The Pruetts are supported by gifts from friends, family and church members.

Our faith has really grown, because every time we have a need, God provides for it, says Bobby. Thats an amazing testimony to this community of what God can do to accomplish what He wants to accomplish.

The Pruetts also are reaching students through smaller, more intimate groups on campus as well as larger groups meeting once a week. These groups provide strength in numbers for Christian students. Through this fellowship students grow by temporarily getting out of the secular college environment so they can study the Bible, pray and become more effective evangelists.

The key to reaching the campus is building up believers who arent afraid to share the gospel, Bobby says. One of my jobs is to provide them with the proper tools.