August 2026

It’s the start of my 7th school year with FOCUS! Thank you so much for your support and dedication to praying for the students that we meet!

Welcome Weeks are upon us—where our campuses go all out in hosting events and meeting students, old and new. Events like Paint ‘n Sip, Bubble Run 5k, Line Dancing, Field Night, and many more! And most of our campuses are hosting their first large group meetings this week. Please continue to pray that these students will be open to what the Lord is calling them to, whether through FOCUS or any of the other ministries on campus.

I had the privilege of helping out at an Asian American social event and met some really cool students! We provided boba and mahjong sets for them to sit, sip, and hang out. Every student I talked to that night was interested in learning more about FOCUS and getting plugged in! How encouraging!

Here are the 10 apprentices that FOCUS brought on this school year. Each one has a neat story of how God met them where they are, whether through their family upbringing and attending church since birth, to those that encountered God for the first time in college. But we’re so excited to see how each is equipped to spread the love of Jesus on their campuses. If you would like to pray for them individually, they names are:
Back row, left to right: Kole, Hayden, Juke, Nahom, Alex, Jenna.
Front row, left to right: Azael, Briana, Savannah, Sarah

It wouldn’t be a Paul blog without some food, would it? When my mom visited to take care of us when Lily was first born, she bought some frozen eel and never made it. Then my friend Nhala got some charcoal accidentally delivered to his door (it was intended for his neighbor, but his neighbor had already submitted a ticket to the delivery company and told him to keep it). So we decided to combine the two and grill some eel (and mushrooms). If you’ve never had eel before… it is probably one of my top 5 things you need to try!

Speaking of the beginning of the year, we had our staff retreat in the first week of August. It’s a time to bond as a staff team and also reconnect with the mission and vision before we step out onto campus to meet the students. Someone had made a customized Guess Who game with our staff as the suspects and it was a blast trying to figure out how to narrow it down without using physical traits. (Think of questions like, “would this person forget to water their plants regularly?”)

Our church had a men’s breakfast event where we fellowshipped and listened to some talks about being on mission at work. While it is easier for me to think through this (given the nature of my work), it is still a good reminder that no matter where I am (whether at work or not), I am called to be like Jesus and to spread the gospel. When people don’t know how to keep their carts out of the way at Costco or when I’m getting cut off in traffic, am I reflecting Jesus? If someone strikes up a conversation with me when I’m in the middle of something… when I’m in line at a boba shop and the person in front of me is stuck on deciding whether to get 50% sugar or 70% sugar.. you get the drift. If someone observed how you were living your life, would they be able to tell that you are a disciple?

Lily is turning one and you’re all invited to come celebrate. We’re hosting a chill come-and-go gathering at our house on Saturday. You can RSVP on Partiful through this link: https://partiful.com/e/JUuqccoDhoDCHOlRf2kw?c=mbXcfAav. It’s crazy to think that it’s already been a year!! What a blessing she has been.