Student Leaders Retreat:
(Aug. 18- Aug. 20)
The student leaders retreat is the kick off event for the students that are already involved with MAVCatholic. These are students who have come to know Jesus Christ and wish to also share His teachings with their fellow students. (Sometimes we refer to them a Student Missionaries.)
Some of these students spent this past summer with Totus Tuus, a program that sends young adults to different parishes across the diocese to lead a church camp for the children. These students teach the children about the love of God and helps them to grow in their relationship with Him. Other students worked at the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center as camp leaders for young girls in elementary school and junior high.
No matter where they spent their summer, the student leaders retreat is a great time to reunite the students as well as introduce them to the new missionaries (aka me) and set the vision for the coming year! The retreat was held at the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center, and we helped the Apostolic Oblates deep clean the retreat center. We grow together through formation talks and then through serving together.
One afternoon we went to the Retirement Center, and spent time with the residents. It just so happened that we made it just in time for BINGO!
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| "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10 |
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| Molly playing bingo |
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| Cole and David |
Freshman Move-In:
(Aug. 21-22)
One of the best ways to meet students here in Omaha is to volunteer to move their things into their dorm for them! Not only are their parents relieved to have the help, but often I am the first face they see at UNO, and I am more than happy to welcome the new students! The team and I spent both Thursday and Friday moving in Students form 8am-3pm. Many of the Student Missionaries joined us through out the day and I couldn't have been happier to continue getting to know them.
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| Freshman Move in Day! |
Durango Days/ Classes Commence:
(Aug. 25- Aug. 30)
After this amazing week called Durango Days, I am wishing that every week could be Durango Days! Not only is it a great time to meet the students and hang out with them on campus, but everything is free, free, free! (Maybe I am just reverting to my college student mentality, but I love getting things for free...highlighters, t-shirts, bags, and food! Yep I could get used to this.) Ok enough about the free-bees, I'm sure you care more about what exactly we were doing while on campus!
Well to start, it is really very simple. We made ourselves very present on campus and available to the students. We did this by showing up to all the events that UNO put on. These events included BBQ lunches, a Pancake dinner, the Maverick Block Party, etc. It is great because all we have to do is show up. We do not have to plan anything, pay for anything, or get people to come. And by showing up, you never know if the student that you strike up a conversation with in line for food will want to join a bible study, get coffee sometime, or even just come out to play ultimate frisbee! We meet the students where they are at, and invite them into our lives so that we can share our very selves with them. This week has been busy, but it has been an incredible blessing.
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| Team Omaha Day 1! |
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| UNO's original building |
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| Meet Durango the Maverick and Lexi! |
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| Mess with the bull and you get the horns! |
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| BBQ on campus for lunch! |
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| Hanging out and meeting students! |
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| The Pancake Man & breakfast for dinner! |
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| Hanging out at the Block Party! |
To finish off the week, Taylor and I got a group together and played glow in the dark Ultimate Frisbee! We played on campus, and luckily after a week of rain it cleared up and dried out just enough for us to play. After playing Ultimate for the first time, I have to say I wish I had done this with my friends in college!
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| Glow in the Dark Ultimate Frisbee |
All in all, I would say that it was a very successful 1st week of classes, not that I had to attend any this year! We met a ton of new students through out the week and Taylor and I have begun to get in contact with them. Each day that I spend with a student, whether it is on campus or out to lunch I am reminded why I am here and I could not be more blessed. Thank you for your prayers and for your faith in me. May God do all things through me, and I pray that the students of UNO will come to know Him.
