It's Raining Red Frogs

OK, we are back in the thick of it. For anyone who has anything to do with the school calendar, September is the real new year. This is no more true than for campus ministry.

Let me bring you up to speed..... I have a bit of ground to cover!

I have had several meetings with Roy Olende, the Canadian director of the Australian campus phenomena Red Frogs. http://www.redfrogs.com.au/universities/canada  Just over a year ago, Roy ( a site pastor of Central Church, St. Catharines, hailing from Kenya via South Africa) launched Red Frogs at Brock University and has a fistful of amazing stories to tell. They have not only built an incredible rapport with the university, but they have become quite literally, the "Life of the Party".

It would take too long to tell its history and all of that right here.

Roy Olende

Here are some notes I scribbled about what I heard at the first meeting…

I am not going to make an effort to make them coherent. Roy speaks with a blast of contagious enthusiasm. I was just trying to capture a few of the highlights of how he made it work at Brock. It's like using a teacup to capture a firehose. If you want more and better information, email him directly at royolende@centralcommunitychurch.ca . I hope this serves as a bit of a primer.

It opens doors because:

• It is servant hearted.

• It is respectful.

• It is bridge building

• It’s FUN

Red Frogs.

• Starts through a local church. The ultimate goal is connections.

• It has built up momentum quickly.

• Low key connection with the church but it is solid. ( The association is not announced but it often comes up in conversations )

Began with about 15 people. They run a training session. Looking for relational students.

Have to be able to build bridges with non Christians. Need to know how to connect. Do not bring the sheltered people to be the front line people.

But we do need people who are servant oriented to help out behind the scenes. They enable others to have the conversations.

It needs both kinds of people. The front line servants and those who support them behind the scenes…

Biggest expense is getting the stuff to share with people. They use the Red Frog candy ( it is a popular Australian candy )at the beginning. It is very very popular. Looking provide them here. As it is, Timbits are the deal over here….

Frosh week big push

• Arrive at residences and villages in order to clean dorms.

• Show up with a six pack of Donuts

Random acts of donuts

• Random acts of cleaning
• Random acts of pancakes.

Provide support for events that residences put on. Be helpful...
 
Eg speed dating event at the residence. Can spice up the events. Help people throw it. Stay and talk and build relationships.

• Roy speaks at the Student Union and brings a dozen donuts or two.

• Serving and building relationships. Food, Fun and Free.

They approached the right people. Set up a meeting with Student Services.

They were clear and forthright regarding who they were and what they wanted to do in serving the student community. They have made continual efforts to ensure that communication lines are kept open.

They worked with the Residence Life Director. The RLD was appreciative of the donuts and the services provided by RF to the Residences.

RF shows up at parties and creates Alcohol free zones with refreshments and people to talk to. They are called Hydration Stations.

RF helps other groups put on events….

In June,George Werner and I met with Roy’s lead pastor, Bill Markham to talk about how we can synergize the efforts of Red Frogs and Campus Mission Canada. It has great promise. It matches what we are about and is a dynamic way of putting feet and hands to our vision for “irresistible loving service”. In fact, Red Frogs is “hospitality on steroids”.

At the end of August, I met with Roy, Joe Wahba of The Embassy and the associate director of RF , Brandon, who was in the area as part of a globetrotting tour to tell the RF story and help equip churches to replicate it on their own soil. Roy’s success on Brock is a brilliant example of a Church Based campus ministry and proof that RF is able to work in various countries. Joe is implementing RF this year at The Embassy and is really pumped about the energy and focus that it is bringing to their outreach at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University. RF is a big part of their outreach this year…

More to come...