What an amazing experience we had at the Fall Retreat. I was blown away not just by how many students were there but also that in just one weekend I saw the students leave changed. God showed up in these students lives major way at this retreat. It was beyond my expectations for the weekend. During a campus time on Saturday night I wanted to communicate to the students how much I desire for them to be in life-changing transformational communities like I was in college at UMass, Amherst. I was recalling a story of God working between a dear friend and former roommate of mine whose name is Chot. I got very emotional recalling this story which I hadn’t even planned on sharing but I believe God brought it to mind to show the students how important it is to have community with other believers in college. Our students are all commuters and thus have no dorm experiences so many of them are starved for community. I hope that they come to realize that they’ve been missing out on something and seek to bond with their fellow brothers in the fellowships at UMass Boston and Bunker Hill.

Chot was my best man and I was his. We are still close friends to this day. I also mentioned our good friend and roommate Dave who I also went through a lot with. I closed the time by telling them to look around the room and ask themselves who’s going to be your best man or maid of honor one day? Who’s going to be your Chot or your Dave? Both of these guys continue to impact my life nearly fifteen years after I graduated from college. I want our current students to have similar connections in fifteen years.