Fall Outreach 2015

The Team that Pray's together, stay's together:

The New team and I have been spending a lot of time getting to know one another! Our first week here, we drove out to the Holy Family Shrine, between Omaha and Lincoln, to spend an hour in prayer together. It was a rainy day, but the view from inside this all glass shrine were just incredible! Looking forward to a great year, working alongside incredible people! 

The team and I at Holy Family Shrine.
(left: Brian, me, Amy, and Alex)

Welcome Week:

Together with some of the student leaders, the team and I have been on campus and at as many of the welcome events as we could! To start we helped by volunteering at the freshmen move in day on north campus. The week following the freshman move in was welcome week, and we made sure to be on campus each day meeting students and inviting them to our events as well! 

Studies have shown that the friends college student make their first 3 days on a campus are likely to be the friends they keep throughout their time in college. This makes the first week extremely important! 

The team and student leaders helping welcome the freshmen,
and help them move into their dorm. Often we are the first face
that welcomes these students to campus!

Spike Ball: 

Spike ball is a new game, that is very popular out in California. Many of the FOCUS teams played out there last year at the beach, and over the summer the team and I started playing as well. It is fairly easy to learn, and very similar to volleyball. It draws many people in who either already know how to play or others who are curious about the game. We have played many times on campus now, and not only is it great for meeting new people, but it is fun too! :)

Spike ball is a huge hit on campus! 

Spending time with students at the Block Party.
(left: Amber, Amanda, me, and Amy)

At the BBQ lunch with students!

SPIKEBALL! Even Durango wanted to learn how to play! 

Student Involvement Fair:

The student involvement fair is mass chaos! Amidst all of the on campus clubs, and recreational groups we found a spot where we could pass out information for all of our upcoming events. The Popsicles/otter pops on the hot day were also a success! From anyone interested we collected contact information, and by the end of the day we had contact cards from 87 students wanting to get involved! 

Some students volunteered their time to help pass out
information on FOCUS and the JPII Newman center
upcoming events and mass times at the
Student Involvement Fair. 

Handing out cups, magnates, bookmarks, and candy to
let students know of upcoming events!

 Thursday Night Mass and Bonfire:

Each Thursday night students attend the 8:15pm mass and following spend time building community doing a variety of things. The first week back we had a bonfire with s'mores, and hot dogs! About 30 students attended, including quite a few freshmen as well as returning students. 

We have a student mass each Thursday at 8:15pm
and Sunday at 9:00pm at St. Margaret Mary Parish
located across the street from UNO.

Some freshmen and I at the bonfire after mass.
(Nicole, me, and Maddy)

Tour of Campus: 

Each year we take a tour of the campus, and this year since both Brian and I were returning to UNO we gave the tour! It was so nice to know my way around campus, and I really enjoyed sharing with Alex, Amy, and Fr. Roza (our new campus chaplain) the ins and outs of where things are! 

Touring campus with the team!
(left: Alex, Brian, Amy, me, and Fr. Roza)

In front of the main campus building! 

  Womens' Night:

Each semester we host women interested in joining a bible study at our apartment for a talk and socializing. This year we had about 25 women attend, and our guest speaker spoke about how our priorities in life need to match up with how we are spending our time each day. She really emphasized how much 30 minuets of prayer each day transformed her life while in college, and encouraged the girls to try this as well.

Womens' night at our apartment! 

Wednesday Night Soccer:

Each wednesday night there is a consistent group of students who get together to play soccer on campus. This was the second Wednesday of the semester, and by far the most well attended! There were about 30 people who showed up, including both Father Taphorn and Father Roza. Even the campus security guard came out to play with us for a bit! :) 

Some of us after the game took a pic!
(left: Amanda, me, Maddy, Megan, and Megan)

The year has begun and we are running fast. In the coming weeks things will start to slow down as students begin to fall into their regular routines, and bible studies should be up and going next week. Please continue to pray for us here in Omaha, and know of my prayers for you! Peace of Christ be with you and your family always. 

Coming Fall 2016: JPII Newman Center

(For the latest information go to: http://www.jpiiomaha.org/)

June 30, 2015, marked the ground breaking in Omaha for construction of the St. John Paul II Newman center. Students from around the Omaha are were there to help with the ground breaking, and one student who has been involved with FOCUS this past year was chosen to give a speech at the event. We are all very excited for this, as a home base is exactly what the students in Omaha need. Please visit the website for more updated information, and enjoy the pictures below!

Samantha, UNO Junior, giving a speech at the groundbreaking.

Students spoke with the local media about what
this Newman center means to them!

The UNO students during the ceremonial ground breaking

What exactly is a Newman center?

Named in honor of Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman, Newman Centers are residence and Catholic ministry centers at non-Catholic universities throughout the world. Hartwell de la Garde Grissell founded the first Newman Club in 1888 at Oxford University. Newman Centers welcome Christians of other denominations to participate in meetings and social events as well.

Cardinal Newman was a prodigy in theology, philosophy and education. John Henry Newman did not convert to Roman Catholicism until the age of 44, when he founded the first English-speaking Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Birmingham, England. In 1879, he was appointed a cardinal of the Catholic Church. Cardinal Newman’s influential writings and scholarly works significantly shaped religious theories not only during his time, but also throughout the 20^th century, and into studies across the world today. (Source: Wikipedia)

Spring Break Mission to NYC

Spring Break 2015: Many young adults across the country have unlimited options of where they are going to spend their break. Some choose to go to the beaches of Mexico, Florida, or California. Others take ski trips to Colorado or Utah. I know last year at this time I organized a cruise for 11 of my friends and myself. Spending my break serving others was never a thought that I really took seriously, and that's why I have so much respect for the 15 students who instead of going with their friends to the beach or skiing, they said yes to a pilgrimage trip to New York City. Together during that week we served the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Renewal , Sisters of Life, and the Apostolic Oblates .

Staying in the Bronx with the Friars, we assisted them in upkeep of their facility that serves as both a youth center for the high school students in the area, and a shelter for the homeless. The Friars rely solely on donations to run their facility, and needed our help with things like repainting the gym, building flower beds, stripping paint off of window seals and doors, and deep cleaning/organizing storage areas and classrooms. We spent our afternoons doing this, and then would get cleaned up so that at night we could spend time with the high school students that come to the youth center to play basketball. Father Luke, one of the Friars, explained that the students who come will for the most part put up with the 30 min Bible study that he leads so that they can play indoor basketball and volleyball in the gym after. I think that this was a very eye opening experience for many of on the trip, who for the most part were raised going to private schools in the Omaha area. 

One afternoon we spent out in Stamford, Connecticut with the Sisters of Life at their retreat center. They were preparing for a retreat that weekend so we helped them with any preparations they had to make, including things like pruning bushes, prep cooking and baking, cleaning the bathrooms, making beds, and then participated in both prayer and mass with them. Their joy that they share in everything that they do was very contagious, and we all left the facility feeling as if we did not serve them, but were actually served by them during our time there. 

Another day we went to Queens, New York and volunteered at a Catholic school that is run by the Apostolic Oblates. We broke into teams of 2 and each team visited a different classroom and taught a lesson. Haylea and I had the kindergartners and for our lesson we had the children draw a picture of them and Jesus doing their favorite activity. Many of the students drew Jesus at recess with them, others went skating with Jesus, and so on. We were trying to communicate with them how Jesus is everywhere with us, and likes to be invited to do things with us in our lives. That He enjoys doing the things that we enjoy doing! 

Amidst all of the different activities, we remained rooted and grounded in prayer and the celebration of the mass. Each day would start with prayer and daily mass, and conclude with a sharing of graces (A particular moment of joy and thanksgiving) and night prayer before going to bed. As it turns out, my favorite moments of the trip were actually at the end of the day, listening to each person and how they encountered Jesus. 

On or last day in NYC, we took the metro to Manhattan Island to experience the big city. We stopped by many places including St. Patricks Cathedral and then split into two groups. One group went to see the Statue of Liberty, while the other went to the Met to experience the art. It was an amazing trip with a wonderful group of students and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to have experienced this with them. Thank you to my mission partners, with out your continued support and prayers, I would not be able to be here and witness to how The Lord is touching the lives of these students. Thank you! 

Group Picture in NYC! 

There were so many pictures form the trip, that I compiled them into a video. Hope you like it!