Dear Friend,

As we share the gospel with students and see them respond, God will often surprise us with a bigger purpose in our work than meets the eye.

Such is the story of Staci Stephens, a sophomore this past school year at an Orlando high school. I met Staci in May of 2004, just four months after she had received Christ through our Student Venture team in Florida. This past March, I received a phone call with tragic news: Staci had suddenly died from what was diagnosed as Viral Myocarditis -- a virus had attacked her heart. She was a healthy, athletic cheerleader, gone just 48 hours after her first symptoms.

Shortly after her death, I visited with her family and friends, and a remarkable story began to unfold. I had met Staci as an infant Christian, just starting her new life in Christ. But in the following months until her passing, Staci had grown so much that the impact she had on her campus of 3,800 students was amazing.

The first person I talked with after her death was Steven, a young man who had come to Christ just 4 weeks earlier through Stacis persistent witness. Said Steven, I realized the reason she was always happy was because she had Jesus; she had what I was missing.

In a letter to friends this past Christmas she said, This has been the most life-changing year I have ever experienced. On January 18, 2004, I was reborn and found my savior Jesus Christ at a conference put on by Student Venture. Since then, I have dropped my old ways of living and completely given myself to Christ. My life has been changed for eternity and now everything that I live for makes sense. I dont have to fill my heart with worldly things anymore. I am completely satisfied and Christ has filled every little void in my life.

The evening after her passing, over 850 students packed out her school auditorium, sharing stories of the impact Staci had on them personally. One Jewish girl, who didnt even know Staci, but who was gripped by fear of death, eagerly listened and then surrendered her life to Christ. One young man gave his life to Christ, stating that it was sad that Staci had to die in order for him to believe the truth.

Another high school boy, addicted to drugs, who happened to sit next to Staci in biology class, went to the auditorium. Staci had been witnessing to him all year, but he had put her off. He went into the auditorium angry and confused, but after hearing and seeing the eternal hope of Stacis friends, he believed, and received Christ. He said, I came as one kind of person, but left another. He went into drug rehab, and is walking with Christ today.

In the following days, cheerleaders from her school surrendered their lives to Christ, girls for whom Staci and her friends had been praying. Then the news came that a coach from Stacis school, one of the more resistant to God, attended Stacis church and trusted Christ as Savior.

Staci and her friends in Student Venture had prayed all year for spiritual awakening to break out at their school, and even dreamed of a day when the auditorium on campus would be filled with people hearing about Jesus. Through the life and death of Staci Stephens, their prayers were answered, and are still being answered as I write this letter.

We believe that God intends to use the story of Staci Stephens far beyond her campus. I am writing to share how that can happen, and ask for your help to expand the impact of the gospel through the story of this remarkable young lady.

As you know, the Internet has become the preferred means of communication among teens, and the negative moral impact of the Internet on teens has been documented as well. But what if we could use the Internet for something totally differenttelling Stacis story and bringing teenagers to Christ?

Shortly after Stacis death, we began production of a video of Stacis story (I have enclosed a DVD copy for you), and an internet web site where students could see the video and be introduced to Christ. The web site and video have now been produced, and the site is live. Listen to just a couple of the responses we are receiving from young people who have visited www.StaciStory.com:

I just have never felt close to Christ, how Staci felt before Christ became her main priority. I want him to fill that empty space in my heart. It grows bigger and bigger each day. I am ready to let him control my life. I put my trust in Christ now. A 13 year old (in Virginia)

I just had tears pouring from my eyes. What an incredible testimony about Staci! This (website) sparked a fire in my heart to change my lifestyle. Thank you. Megs (a girl in Canada)

As students e-mail their responses to us, our web counselors respond back with spiritual guidance for their next steps in following Christ. In the first five weeks that stacistory.com has been live, 4400 people visited the site and 475 indicated decisions for Christ. Another 88 made recommitments to Christ. This incredible response has happened without any advertisement of the site.

However, we can dramatically increase the number of students visiting the site, seeing the video and hearing the gospel, by purchasing ads on Google.com. We know from experience that for every 60 cents given, another student will be drawn to stacistory.com and have the opportunity to hear the gospel and be followed up. That is why I am writing to you today. We need your support to expand this powerful outreach to teenagers. Through your year-end gift, you can directly be involved in accelerating the spreading of the Gospel.

In the coming twelve months, we plan to expose 10,000 students a month to stacistory.com and the gospel. That will cost $6,000 per month or $72,000 for the year to purchase the ads and follow up the students.

Your gift of $120 will give 200 students a chance to hear the gospel. A gift of $1080 will give 1,800 students a chance. Or if youre able, a $6,000 gift will help reach out to 10,000 students with our Saviors life-changing news. Your gift will have an eternal impact for all eternity in countless teenagers lives! Will you join with us in this life-changing strategy?

You can give over the Internet at www.give.StaciStory.com. Please also note that new tax laws are now in effect that allow greater tax deductibility for 2005 and could impact your giving decisions; for more information please visit www.give.ccci.org/katrinataxrelief. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call Scott Stroven, Student Venture Development Administrator, at 407-625-2175.

If you have a local Student Venture ministry in your community and have received financial requests, please remember our local ministries as well. Your generous giving has been a blessing and will continue to touch many students lives.

From all our Student Venture staff around the world, I want to say thank you for your kindness, and may your Christmas be filled with the love of our incredible Lord and Savior.

Gratefully,

Chuck Klein
National Director, Student Venture
Campus Crusade for Christ.