University of Vermont students come face to face with God's creation.
“I could never really listen to that Christian music,” says Andrew Schlesinger, a sophomore at the University of Vermont.
Bar mitzvahed at 13, yet confirmed in a Christian church the following year, Andrew’s spiritual background was anything but ordinary. He wasn’t sure what to believe coming into college. However, a simple passion for the outdoors now brings him weekly to a place he never expected—a Bible study.
As New England pine trees tower overhead, Andrew (above, in orange) steps out into the bitter cold for a fireside meeting, led by Campus Crusade for Christ staff members Mike Bazemore and Dan Litchfield of Lifelines, the outdoor ministry of Campus Crusade.
“It’s a place where people can seek God, who He is, and ask the tough questions about life,” says Dan. “It gets real out there.”
“Everyone [in college] puts up these fronts of being completely assured of themselves,” says Andrew. “It’s like they already have stuff figured out, but there’s no way they could. At fireside everyone takes off their masks and reveals what they’re actually thinking.”
Andrew struggles with the same issues most men endure, such as validation, identity and performance. But fireside offers him an alternative route to confront such hurdles, a route that brings him to God.
He may not be listening to Christian music, but after one specific night under the stars, Andrew reveals, “I think I’m starting to believe in God. Like, the Christian God.”
“There’s something about having people outside where they’re brought face to face with creation, and exposed to the Creator,” says Mike. “The vulnerability of these guys in that context is amazing to me.”
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