In a city typically wary of handouts, many New Yorkers approached volunteers and asked for Fallen But Not Forgotten. A jogger in Columbus Circle passed volunteers, then turned in his tracks to ask for a copy. To see the evangelistic magazine and order additional copies, click here.

New York City was reading the gospel of Jesus Christ when Fallen But Not Forgotten—an evangelistic mini-magazine—flooded the wounded city.

Campus Crusade for Christ and publishing consulting company The Journey Group created the 16-page, glossy handout to offer God's love and hope in light of the terrorist attack.

At the national prayer service and memorial at Yankee Stadium (hosted by Oprah Winfrey), 30,000 people accepted copies, frequently mistaking them to be a program. Afterward, one Campus Crusade staff member handed New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani a stack of magazines, explaining why they were designed. "We are really glad you guys are here," the mayor replied.

In just two weeks following publication, people distributed more than 1 million copies by hand. Since then, it has been translated into Korean, Russian, Spanish and Chinese. Special editions produced for Wall Street and Washington, D.C., have also been produced and passed out. Each version closes with an invitation for the reader to surrender his life to Jesus.

Church groups, college students and Campus Crusade staff members from around the nation flocked to the city to help. In just under two hours, six men gave away 8,000 magazines near the Staten Island ferry. "I was frustrated even to bend down to pick up more, because I would miss some people," says Dusty Davis, a Campus Crusade staff member from Alabama. "I'd think, Oh no! Five people went by." —Erik Segalini

"We need to be praying for those terrorists," says Julie, an accounting manager with Morgan Stanley. "Christ died for all of us and He died for them too."

I had just arrived at work when we heard this sound. I did not feel the building shake but I knew right away it was an airplane. As soon as I heard it, I started praying.

Everyone took off because many of them had been there the last time the buildings were bombed. I waited for a co-worker who was in the ladies' room at the time, and then we started down the stairs together.

In the stairwell, people went down quickly, but no one panicked. We got to the 28th floor, and over the loudspeaker we heard that Tower 2 had been secured. "Please stay where you are," the voice said.

But God told me to keep going. I could feel Him pushing me. We saw a sign for elevator access and got on the elevator on that floor.

We were on the street under the building when the second plane hit, and we started running. By God's grace, nothing hit us. I kept praying, over and over again, "God, keep us safe. God, keep us safe."

We ran a couple of blocks, and then as fast as we could we walked to my friend Susan's house. I decided to return to look for people. As I headed back toward the buildings, probably about two blocks away, I heard this loud noise and saw all this smoke, and I just started running.

I run six miles every day, but that morning, I got run over by some people in the panic and sprained my ankle. So I crawled into an alley and put my backpack over my head for protection.

I sat there in a corner up against a wall. I couldn't breathe and I was just covered in soot. Soon I couldn't hear anything, either, and I began to think that everyone was dead. Then I wondered, Am I dead? I thought I was about to go to heaven.

That's when I heard a girl crying, and I said, "Come here, honey." I grabbed her and hugged her, and we started praying. Slowly we were beginning to be able to see when we heard some guy yelling, "Fresh air in here! Fresh air in here!"

I think he was inside a bank, but it was hard to tell. The door had blown out from the impact of the towers falling, so we had to crawl through it. They didn't have much fresh air in there, but it was sure good to see people. And that's when I first understood that the buildings had fallen down. Before that moment, I had thought that terrorists were just trying to wipe us out with guns and bombs.

I found a phone in the bank and called my mom in Arkansas to tell her I was OK. Soon cops arrived with a van. When I got in I thought I might faint, but I prayed that God would not let me.

The van dropped us off a few blocks away, and then we started walking. About an hour later, the Lord sent me a friend to walk with. We walked by her church and went inside—that was so comforting.

Looking back, I know that God led me out. This has strengthened my desire to be close to Him and to live in God's will. Life is short: I am 30, and that day could have been my last day. I know that I am here for a reason. —Julie Williams, as told to Erik Segalini

For more information about HomeBuilders studies,visit www.familylife.com or call 1-800-358-6329 (FL-TODAY).

A group of New York church members turned Union Park into a prayer site.

On a busy street in one Los Angeles suburb, a colorfully decorated piece of butcher paper hung over an 8-foot folding table. Drawn in marker was the phrase "Free Prayer." Together, Community Baptist Church and Here's Life Inner City, the urban outreach of Campus Crusade for Christ, manned the prayer table.

Table volunteers watched in surprise when a city bus slowed and all the passengers filed off. "The driver told everyone to get off," says Bob Combs, a staff member with HLIC in Los Angeles. Some passengers took the opportunity to learn about Community Baptist and eat free hot dogs; many requested prayer.

But for three riders in particular, prayer led to conversations about the gospel and discussions of the Four Spiritual Laws booklet. Through the boldness of the Christian bus driver, all three began relationships with Christ.

Since the spring of 2000, HLIC has formed partnerships with Los Angeles churches hosting evangelistic prayer tables. However, the ministry has even deeper roots.

Daniel Jordan, a former HLIC staff member in New York, traveled to Argentina in 1997. During his visit, a local newspaper published an advertisement including a coupon for free prayer. The ad instructed readers to come to the city plaza for prayer. Thousands showed up with coupons, received prayer and gave their lives to Christ. Daniel was amazed by the idea.

It was a new thing I had never heard of—prayer evangelism," says Daniel. Using this method, volunteers prayed for specific needs and then asked: "Do you know this God to whom we are praying?" This provided a smooth transition for sharing Christ's love.

From Argentina, Daniel took this idea back to New York and opened his first free prayer table near Grand Central Station. A woman approached him to request prayer for finding a job. When Daniel looked up, a line of eight people had formed. "The Lord really broke my heart that day," says Daniel.

Daniel and his wife, Sheila, started Hope for the City, a ministry which uses the prayer-evangelism method and trains partner churches to use the Four Spiritual Laws.

Outreach is as simple as setting up a table and sign. Churches display Bibles, Christian literature and information about their services on the tables.

Following September's terrorist attack, people welcomed prayer on the street. Campus Crusade staff members and people from local churches prayed outside hospitals, the armory and public plazas—anywhere people gathered.

By trusting God to work through prayer, lives are being turned around. Josephine Cianci requested prayer at a New York table for her brother Anthony, who was missing and on crack cocaine. A few days later, Daniel called to invite Josephine to church. Josephine asked Daniel to also invite Anthony, who had returned home. Anthony agreed to attend.

He got radically right with the Lord," says Daniel. Anthony now faithfully attends church and is involved in his community. "He's really eating up the things of God. His whole life is turning around," says Daniel.

Through the opportunity to pray with another person, connections are being made. Seeing God's love at work draws many people to Himself.

There hasn't been a time I've gone out where there wasn't someone who prayed and received Christ," says Daniel. "When we demonstrate the compassion of the Lord through prayer, they are open to hearing the gospel." —Jessica Cline

Mark and Pam Taft, with sons Nathaniel and Ryan, live in the Big Apple and help local churches reach their city with the gospel.

The strength of the nation was tested on September 11. Campus Crusade for Christ staff member Mark Taft ached with sadness as he watched people respond: "Everyone turns to the Red Cross for answers, and they are not turning to the churches."

Mark first recognized the powerful potential of the local church in Campbell, N.Y., while working in youth ministry after college. In hard times, he discovered, people knew where to go. "It's the local church that really knows who the people are in the community, what their needs are," says Mark. "They already have the connection with people."

When he took the teenagers on a mission trip to New York City, Mark grasped the overwhelming needs of the people there. He developed a passion to help urban pastors and their flocks rise to the challenge of the city. So the country boy who grew up without neighbors moved his family to New York in 1995. Mark, his wife, Pam, and their two young children left three acres of manicured lawn to work with Campus Crusade's Here's Life Inner City.

Now the New York director of HLIC, Mark's vision remains steady—to strengthen churches in the inner city. Currently HLIC has partnerships with almost 200 of them.

"We don't want to do [the church's] job for them, or try to replace them, but help them do what's already on their hearts, the vision they already have," says Mark. "Here's Life is there to serve them. When we're at our best, no one really knows we're here."

As the devastation of early September still ripples throughout the city, opportunities to serve are easy to see. But Mark knows that only God's best will last. "There have been several nights during this crisis where he's been up all night praying," says Mitzi Norton, a co-worker. "He's been wrestling with the Lord, asking God to show him the right things to do."

As the nation meets people's short-term needs, Mark looks ahead to the long-term consequences. While thousands lost their lives, the New York City Central Labor Council projects that 217,000 people lost their jobs as a result of the World Trade Center collapse. Therefore, unemployed upper-class workers will settle for less-skilled jobs in the meantime."That will displace the people under them with less-skilled jobs," Mark explains, "and it's a spiraling effect down to the point where the working-class poor are left without jobs."

As the end of the year approaches, this becomes a staggering reality to those who balance on the poverty line. HLIC usually gives churches 6,000 Boxes of Love to distribute to families in need over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Each Box of Love contains a full holiday meal. By the end of September, 20,000 meals had been requested.

Despite the destitution, Mark is confident in the capacity of New York churches. After the relief workers and volunteers leave, local congregations must meet the needs of people and develop them into followers of Christ. Mark has committed his life to empower the leaders of those congregations.

"I feel like I have the coolest job in the world because I have the privilege to come alongside people who are really heroes of the faith," says Mark.

It's not Mark's heart for the poor and the inner-city church," says Pam. "It's God's heart, and He's just given Mark a little piece of it." —Beth Adams

To learn practical ways to help New York City churches, e-mail Mark Taft at mtaft@ccci.org or call (212) 494-0321.

When cellular phones started chirping about 10 minutes before the United Nations Prayer Breakfast ended, Melissa Lewis wondered why. She soon learned the shocking answer—two airliners had just crashed into the World Trade Center, leaving both towers in flames.

Melissa serves with Christian Embassy, N.Y. (Campus Crusade's ministry to the United Nations), which helped host the breakfast.

About 30 minutes after walking back to her office four miles from the attack site, Melissa saw thousands of people, like war refugees, walking past.

The Christian Embassy team, wearing hastily prepared index cards with the message "Can I pray for you?", formed a water brigade for the dazed throng. "We handed out water and Four Spiritual Laws gospel booklets for five to six hours," says Melissa.

Someone set up a large pad on an easel on the sidewalk for prayer requests. Several pages were quietly filled with prayer concerns and names of people— some maybe still in the rubble.

The team gave away every Four Spiritual Laws booklet they had, and stayed late that night, praying for each request on the list. —Howard Hardegree


Priority Associates
New York City

Taking United Airlines Flight 12, the first flight he could get to New York after the terrorist attack there, Los Angeles fireman Jack Holt had one objective: getting there to support his fellow firefighters. But God had much more in mind.

During the flight, Jack and his team—a battalion of elite search-and-rescue specialists —met Gordon Pennington, a volunteer with Campus Crusade's Priority Associates. On the plane, Gordon (right) found an open door to present the security and peace of knowing Jesus. Everyone, from the rescue-team captain to the tearful flight attendant unable to work her assignment, seemed eager to hear more about faith in God.

"I spoke openly about the love of God in Christ and described Him to the firemen as a true brother/rescuer," says Gordon. Jack listened intently, then admitted that for years he waffled on committing his life to Jesus. Gordon challenged him to make that commitment before the flight ended.

Before separating, Jack gave Gordon a Los Angeles Fire Department T-shirt, writing on it: "Flight 12—Final Rescue."

"Gordon really brought me into the light," says Jack. "I finally made that commitment to Christ." —Howard Hardegree


Christian Embassy
Washington, D.C.

Colonel Bobby Little ran to catch his train, but it pulled away as he got to the Pentagon stop. "OK, God, I got the picture," he prayed. "Who do you want me to talk to?"

He turned around and saw a man waiting for a train going the opposite direction. Bobby greeted the man, who quickly replied, "I can't speak English."

Undeterred, Bobby (above) asked, "Where are you from?" The man answered, "Morocco."

Bobby continued to talk with Youssfi, discovering that indeed he could speak English. So the colonel asked to show him an evangelistic booklet called Would You Like to Know God Personally?

Midway through, Youssfi's train arrived, but he let it pass. "I have time," he said.

Shortly after, Bobby's train pulled up. "I have time," the colonel said.

When they finished their conversation, Bobby exchanged contact information with Youssfi, who boarded his train and waved goodbye.

Traffic congestion following the September 11 crash had forced Bobby to take the train that morning. "I'm on the same course I've always been on," says Bobby. "Finding opportunities to share Christ with those who don't know Him and encourage those who do." —Lisa Master


Lake Hart
Florida

Since Debbie Barron bought a condominium last November, she has befriended her seven nearest neighbors. On September 16, the bubbly redhead created "bags of hope" for them.

"After the tragedy," says the Campus Crusade staff member, "I knew that people were going to be more open to the gospel."

Each bag contained an evangelistic booklet along with items like an American flag; apple pie; and red, white and blue bracelets. She also included Psalm 23 and a note: "May you find comfort and hope in the Great Shepherd during this time of uncertainty."

When Debbie stopped by, she asked how each was doing. She then pulled out a bag, saying, "I am a Christian. I believe that God is the only source of hope during this time, and there is a booklet here that describes how you can know Him personally. If you have a relationship with God, there is another booklet that asks if you're satisfied with that relationship."

Every neighbor responded positively; three women hugged Debbie. She offered hope at a time when her neighbors needed it. —John Trzcinski

John Trzcinski is a writer with Campus Crusade for Christ, U.S., in Orlando, Fla.


Military Ministry
Egypt

American Renee Ramirez sweated in the desert heat as she cleaned the yard of a military base in Egypt. A small package on the ground caught her eye. Inside a plastic bag was a camouflage New Testament, a copy of the Our Daily Bread Bible-study guide, an evangelistic booklet, and a card called "Guidance from God's Word."

Unbeknownst to her, she had just picked up one of Campus Crusade's Military Ministry Rapid Deployment Kits.

Uninterested in spiritual things, the young soldier set aside the kit. But the lonelier and more depressed she became, the more she thought about what she had found. Finally, she pulled it out, read the materials and gave her life to Christ.

About 30,000 kits have been distributed since September 11, and Military Ministry leaders expect to need 100,000.

"Deploying forces receive their combat equipment for their own security and readiness for battle," says retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Dick Abel (above), Military Ministry director. "The one thing lacking is meaningful resources to help them in spiritual readiness. The Rapid Deployment Kits equip them to not only come to know Christ but to grow in their walk with Him while deployed." —Stephanie Reeves


Campus Ministry
South Carolina

Thursday, September 13, had turned into the wee hours of Friday morning when Kurt Brewer returned to his dorm at the University of South Carolina. The residence- hall assistant needed to study for a Spanish test, but he wandered around his floor checking on his freshmen.

One guy called Kurt (at right in photo) into his room. A group had congregated to discuss the possibility of being drafted in light of the attack on America.

Kurt said he wouldn't mind fighting in the war, because if he died, he'd go to heaven.

Wilford Jefferson (at left in photo) asked, "How can you be so sure?"

Kurt pulled out a copy of the Four Spiritual Laws booklet, an evangelistic tool, and explained to Wilford how Jesus died in his place.

When Kurt asked him if he'd like to privately pray to ask Jesus to be his Savior, Wilford replied, "Let's do it now in front of these guys."

"It's cool to see that [in the midst] of tragedy," says Kurt, "God was concerned with one person's heart, drawing him into a relationship with Himself."

Kurt didn't get to bed until about 2:30 a.m. Thankfully, that Spanish test he didn't study for was canceled. —Jennifer Abegg