FOCUS Missions: Spreading the "Great News" of Love

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"I am so loved. This is what I’ve been longing for." This is what Allie Fitzsimmons hopes to help other people say. To do this, she has committed to working as a full-time missionary on the campus of Indiana University - Purdue University of Indianapolis. She lives with another female missionary, Sidney Snyder, in a small house close to campus where they invite college students to make themselves at home. While the idea of missionaries can be foreign and sometimes controversial, these women live out their calling peacefully and joyfully right here in the city of Indianapolis. 

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The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (commonly referred to as FOCUS) is a Catholic outreach program that ministers to nearly 200 college campuses in five countries ("Find My Campus"). According to their website, their mission statement is, "To know Christ Jesus and fulfill His Great Commission", referring to Christ's command in the Gospel of Matthew to "make disciples of all nations." They work towards this by sending missionaries out in teams of at least four (two men and two women) to colleges across the world, particularly in the United States. There, they seek to "win the hearts of college students, build them up in the faith and send them out into the world" ("The Main Thing"). 

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Allie Fitzsimmons is now entering her third year at IUPUI as a FOCUS missionary. While she was not involved with any faith in high school, when she attended SEEK, a nationwide conference hosted by FOCUS, her perspective changed. She explained, “I encountered love in a very real way. Going back to campus, I realized that my college campus had FOCUS missionaries, so I followed up and connected with them. It turned into a snowball effect of getting involved.” She joined various meetings and Bible studies and started discipleship, a one-on-one mentorship. Through these, she explained, “I kept experiencing a love in which I had all my desires fulfilled, finding happiness and true friendships which I will cherish forever.” 

​

Another turning point came on a mission trip to Mexico. “It was my first time to serve the poor,” she remembered. “It was hard seeing people in such poverty, but I got to love and serve them, which brought me so much joy and fulfillment. It changed my worldview.” This left her wanting more. “Returning home, I remember walking and thinking ‘Jesus, I want to serve the poor.’ There certainly were people in my town who were less fortunate, but it was harder to serve in the way I had experienced.”  

​

In this time, she thought of the words of Mother Teresa, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for her charity work in what is now Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India: “Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely, right where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in homes and in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have eyes to see ("Good Advice").” Based on this idea, Allie said, “I felt like the Lord told me, ‘Look around you.’ When I did, I saw students who didn’t know or have the love that had brought me such freedom. They were spiritually poor, trying to find fulfillment in the party scene, but I had found a fullness I couldn’t explain, and I wanted to share it.”  

​

People who choose to dedicate themselves to a religious life of service seem to have many ideas and motivations in common. Sister Joan of Arc, born Kelsey Wicks, who is now a religious sister with the Nashville Dominicans, shared with NPR, “When I came back to the U.S. [from a medical mission trip to Africa], I saw our true poverty of the heart and of the mind. And I saw the loneliness...It really made me give my life to the church” (Hagerty). Allie had a similar realization, concluding at the end of her experience of poverty that, “The Lord said to me, ‘These people around you are the poor I want you to save.’” Encountering poverty abroad is what opened the eyes of these women to the needs in their own communities.  

​

From there, joining the ranks of FOCUS missionaries was the obvious place to turn for Allie. She was already familiar with and drawn to their model of small group investment. “It was what I was familiar with already. The missionaries I knew had such joy, happiness, and excellence that attracted me. I felt that FOCUS provided them that space and investment to help them become excellent, and I wanted that. It seemed much more tangible and doable than other options. They help everyone be known, loved, and cared for.” 

​

This kind of authentic friendship is a key concept FOCUS emphasizes; getting to know people, loving people for who they are, and supporting them unselfishly. Rather than traveling across the world, they look for ways to serve others right where they are through Bible studies, discipleship (or mentoring) meetings, small group meetings, and helping with campus ministry. “We try to be a strong presence for the students, so we enter the lives of college students again. The hope is that who I am and how I live can help bring others to the Lord, so we emphasize the relational side in our outreach, studies, time with students, and just living life together.”  

​

To facilitate these connections and build those relationships, these missionaries live in a charming little house located a few minutes off campus (more pictures here), with the male missionaries' house just a couple doors down the road. This house is meant to be a center where students can gather together and feel at home. All over the walls, they have hung signs with encouraging messages and religious artwork. A piano sits in the living room, adorned with some sheet music and picture of Jesus and the saints. There is a shelf in a corner filled with cheery mugs, waiting to be filled with hot tea and coffee for visitors. The atmosphere is welcoming and cozy.

​

As Sidney Snyder, the other female on the missionary team, admitted, however, this lifestyle comes with its own unique and sometimes unexpected set of challenges. Sidney explained, “We have a routine, but it is often very fluid, and things change, so we have to adapt very quickly. It’s also a very social lifestyle, so if we are not making time for ourselves, it can become very draining. We also have to sacrifice for our family and friends back home. Our priority is the students at IUPUI and so we are not able to go home as often as we might have.” Allie shared that another challenge is that they are not always able to see their actions bear fruit. “What I’m doing might not have an effect for years. I have to trust that even though I can’t see the impact, it is there, even if it doesn’t show up until years down the road.”  

​

Sometimes sacrifice is hard, but to these women, it is always rewarding. Allie and Sidney are living out a calling that reaches beyond themselves, because of a choice made freely and joyfully. Dedicated, they weather the ups and downs of living as missionaries on a secular college campus. For better or for worse, the choice to serve others stands out (modeled after Percy).

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Despite the varied challenges they face, these missionaries remain determined in their purpose. Sidney explained, "The world needs people who will stand up for the truth and will lead others to experience the same...We hear about joys and struggles and then we get to step into that and pray with them. The whole job is about love… What could be more important than that?” Having found this "great news" of love, they are excited to share it. Allie concluded, “Even in small ways, I know it’s worth it. Every soul is worth it.”  

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Works Cited 

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Chidiac, Anthony. "The Spirituality of Mother Teresa."  The Australasian Catholic Record, vol. 93, no. 4, 2016, pp. 469-477. ProQuest, ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/docview/1856847449?accountid=7398. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019.  

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"Find My Campus." FOCUS, focusoncampus.org/find-my-campus. Accessed 29 Oct. 2019.

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Fitzsimmons, Allie. Personal interview. 19 Sept. 2019. 

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Hagerty, Barbara B. "For These Young Nuns, Habits Are the New Radical."  National Public Radio, 22 December 2010, www.npr.org/2010/12/22/131753494/for-these-young-nuns-habits-are-the-new-radical. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019. 

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"Good Advice for the Ages: Find Your Own Calcutta." Asheville Citizen - Times, Sep. 10, 2016. ProQuest, http://ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1818066176?accountid=7398. Accessed 16 Oct. 2019.

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"Mother Teresa." The Nobel Prize, Noble Prize, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1979/teresa/facts/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019. 

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Percy, Jennifer. "My Terrifying Night With Afghanistan's Only Female Warlord." The New Republic, 13 Oct. 2014, newrepublic.com/article/119772/my-night-afghanistans-only-female-warlord-commander-pigeon. Accessed 4 Nov. 2019.

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Snyder, Sidney. Personal interview. 30 Sept. 2019. 

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"The Main Thing." FOCUS, www.focus.org/about/the-main-thing. Accessed 29 Oct. 2019.

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October 24th Complete Draft

FOCUS Missions: Spreading the Great News of Love

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In today’s culture, when people think of missionaries, a variety of things may come to mind. Perhaps someone would be reminded of people like Mother Teresa, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work with the poor in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India (Chidiac), or Amy Carmichael, who opened an orphanage and wrote several books during her fifty-five years of mission work in India (Voelkel). Perhaps it brings to mind the dangers of colonialism. Perhaps it triggers an image of angry-looking people holding signs and shouting accusing messages. One reason why there is such a wide range of reactions to missionaries is because there are many different kinds of mission work. It could be taking place across the world or, as in the case of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) it could be happening right in this city.  

​

Allie Fitzsimmons is now entering her third year at Indiana University – Purdue University of Indianapolis as a FOCUS missionary. While she was not involved with any faith in high school, when she attended SEEK, a nationwide conference hosted by FOCUS, her perspective changed. She explained, “I encountered love in a very real way. Going back to campus, I realized that my college campus had FOCUS missionaries, so I followed up and connected with them. It turned into a snowball effect of getting involved.” She joined various meetings and Bible studies and started discipleship, a one-on-one mentorship. Through these, she explained, “I kept experiencing a love in which I had all my desires fulfilled, finding happiness and true friendships which I will cherish forever.” 

​

Another turning point came on a mission trip to Mexico. “It was my first time to serve the poor,” she remembered. “It was hard seeing people in such poverty, but I got to love and serve them, which brought me so much joy and fulfillment. It changed my worldview.” This left her wanting more. “Returning home, I remember walking and thinking ‘Jesus, I want to serve the poor.’ There certainly were people in my town who were less fortunate, but it was harder to serve in the way I had experienced.”  

​

In this time, she thought of Mother Teresa’s words: “Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely, right where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in homes and in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have eyes to see (Glover).” Allie said, “I felt like the Lord told me, ‘Look around you.’ When I did, I saw students who didn’t know or have the love that had brought me such freedom. They were spiritually poor, trying to find fulfillment in the party scene, but I had found a fullness I couldn’t explain, and I wanted to share it.’”  

​

Fascinatingly, religious people who choose to dedicate themselves to a life of service seem to have many ideas and motivations in common. Sister Joan of Arc, born Kelsey Wicks, who is now a religious sister with the Nashville Dominicans, shared with NPR, “When I came back to the U.S. [from a medical mission trip to Africa], I saw our true poverty of the heart and of the mind. And I saw the loneliness...It really made me give my life to the church” (Hagerty). Similarly, Allie’s conclusion from her experience of poverty was, “The Lord said to me, ‘These people around you are the poor I want you to save.’” Encountering poverty abroad is what opened the eyes of these young women to the needs in their own communities.  

​

From there, joining the ranks of FOCUS missionaries was the obvious place to turn for her. She was already familiar with and drawn to their model of small group investment. “It was what I was familiar with already. The missionaries I knew had such joy, happiness, and excellence that attracted me. I felt that FOCUS provided them that space and investment to help them become excellent, and I wanted that. It seemed much more tangible and doable than other options. They help everyone be known, loved, and cared for.” 

​

This kind of “authentic friendship” is a key concept FOCUS emphasizes; getting to know people, loving people for who they are, and supporting them unselfishly. Rather than traveling across the world, they look for ways to serve others right where they are through Bible studies, discipleship (or mentoring) meetings, small group meetings, and helping with campus ministry. “We try to be a strong presence for the students, so we enter the lives of college students again. The hope is that who I am and how I live can help bring others to the Lord, so we emphasize the relational side in our outreach, studies, time with students, and just living life together.”  

​

To facilitate those connections, the FOCUS missionaries live in a charming little house located a few minutes off campus. It is meant to be a center where students can gather together and feel at home. All over the walls, they have hung signs with encouraging messages and religious artwork, and there is a shelf in a corner filled with mugs, hot tea, and coffee available for visitors.  

​

As Sidney Snyder, the other female on the missionary team, admitted, however, this lifestyle comes with its own unique and sometimes unexpected set of challenges. Sidney explained, “We have a routine, but it is often very fluid, and things change, so we have to adapt very quickly. It’s also a very social lifestyle, so if we are not making time for ourselves, it can become very draining. We also have to sacrifice for our family and friends back home. Our priority is the students at IUPUI and so we are not able to go home as often as we might have.” Allie shared that another challenge is that they are not always able to see their actions bear fruit. “What I’m doing might not have an effect for years. I have to trust that even though I can’t see the impact, it is there, even if it doesn’t show up until years down the road.” 

​

As there are many different kinds of mission work, each one has a different array of difficulties, but in particular, missionaries who venture overseas often encounter completely new and unexpected frontiers. Regina Ganter, author of The Contest for Aboriginal Souls, explains the varied obstacles that European missionaries in Australia have faced, including obtaining sufficient wages to support them, struggling to find suitable housing, facing the risk of disease and accidents, and responding to demands for contributions to scientific research. The last issue is the most surprising, as missionaries are not typically associated with ideas of scientific advancement. However, Ganter reveals that missionaries in Mapoon, an indigenous Australian community, received many requests for “detailed information and, if possible, specimens” of insects and plants. In 1896, they typically sent thirty to forty letters a month responding to these inquiries. In fact, “the emerging science of anthropology leant heavily on the collaboration of missionaries for detailed information to support or refine various theories.” (Ganter 151-157). Since these missionaries were willing to go to places not many others wanted to experience, they were in a unique position to be able to provide new and valuable information. While this was certainly helpful to the scientists, the missionaries themselves sometimes found this arrangement frustrating and time-consuming.   

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Despite these challenges, missionaries remain determined in their purpose. They love getting to share the “great news” of love, as Sidney said. “We hear about joys and struggles and then we got to step into that and pray with them. The whole job is about love… What could be more important than that?” Allie concluded, “Even in small ways, I know it’s worth it. Every soul is worth it.”  

​

 

Works Cited 

Chidiac, Anthony. "The Spirituality of Mother Teresa."  The Australasian Catholic Record, vol. 93, no. 4, 2016, pp. 469-477. ProQuest, ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/docview/1856847449?accountid=7398. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019.  

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"For These Young Nuns, Habits Are the New." Barbara B. Hagerty, National Public Radio, 22 Dec. 2010, www.npr.org/2010/12/22/131753494/for-these-young-nuns-habits-are-the-new-radical. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019. 

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Ganter, Regina. “The Trials of Missionary Life.” The Contest for Aboriginal Souls: European Missionary Agendas in Australia, ANU Press, Australia, 2018, pp. 147–172. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv301dv4.10. Accessed 24 Oct. 2019.  

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"Good Advice for the Ages: Find Your Own Calcutta." Asheville Citizen - Times, Sep. 10, 2016. ProQuest, http://ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1818066176?accountid=7398. Accessed 16 Oct. 2019.

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"Mother Teresa." The Nobel Prize, Noble Prize, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1979/teresa/facts/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019. 

 

Voelkel, Jack. "21 Missionaries You Should Know." Urbana, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, 16 July 2014, urbana.org/blog/21-missionaries-you-should-know. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019. 

 

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October 8th Complete Draft

Focus Missions

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In today’s culture, when people think of missionaries, a variety of things may come to mind. Perhaps someone would be reminded of people like Mother Teresa, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work with the poor in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India (Chidiac), or Amy Carmichael, who opened an orphanage and wrote several books during her fifty-five years of mission work in India (Voelkel). Perhaps it brings to mind the dangers of colonialism. Perhaps it triggers an image of angry-looking people holding signs and shouting accusing messages. One reason why there is such a wide range of reactions to missionaries is because there are many different kinds of mission work. It could be taking place across the world or, as in the case of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) it could be happening right in this city.

​

Allie Fitzsimmons is now entering her third year as a FOCUS missionary at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. According to the organization’s website, FOCUS is “a campus outreach that pursues college students with intentionality and love”, inviting them “into a growing relationship with Jesus and the Catholic faith.” They send teams of at least four people, two men and two women, to college campuses across the United States. While Allie was not involved with any faith in high school, her perspective changed when she attended SEEK, a nationwide conference hosted by FOCUS. She explained, “I encountered love in a very real way. Going back to campus, I realized that my college campus had FOCUS missionaries, so I followed up and connected with them. It turned into a snowball effect of getting involved.” She joined various meetings and Bible studies and started discipleship, a one-on-one mentorship. Through these, she explained, “I kept experiencing a love in which I had all my desires fulfilled, finding happiness and true friendships which I will cherish forever.”

​

Another turning point came on a mission trip to Mexico. “It was my first time to serve the poor,” she remembered. “It was hard seeing people in such poverty, but I got to love and serve them, which brought me so much joy and fulfillment. It changed my worldview.” This left her wanting more. “Returning home, I remember walking and thinking ‘Jesus, I want to serve the poor.’ There certainly were people in my town who were less fortunate, but it was harder to serve in the way I had experienced.”

​

In this time, she thought of Mother Teresa’s words: “Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely, right where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in homes and in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have eyes to see (Glover).” Allie said, “I felt like the Lord told me, ‘Look around you.’ When I did, I saw students who didn’t know or have the love that had brought me such freedom. They were spiritually poor, trying to find fulfillment in the party scene, but I had found a fullness I couldn’t explain, and I wanted to share it. The Lord said to me, ‘These are the poor I want you to save.’”

From there, joining the ranks of FOCUS missionaries was the obvious place to turn for her. She was already familiar with and drawn to their model of small group investment. “The missionaries I knew had such joy, happiness, and excellence that attracted me. I felt that FOCUS provided them that space and investment to help them become excellent, and I wanted that. It seemed much more tangible and doable than other options. They help everyone be known, loved, and cared for.”

​

This kind of “authentic friendship” is a key concept FOCUS emphasizes; getting to know people, loving people for who they are, and supporting them unselfishly. Rather  than traveling across the world, they look for ways to serve others right where they are by encountering people through Bible studies, discipleship (or mentoring) meetings, small group meetings, and helping with campus ministry. They sometimes will even meet with students and work together, scheduling or Bible study planning while the students study for their classes. “We try to be a strong presence for the students, so we enter the lives of college students again. The hope is that who I am and how I live can help bring others to the Lord, so we emphasize the relational side in our outreach, studies, time with students, and just living life together.”

To facilitate those connections, the FOCUS missionaries live in a charming little house located a few minutes off campus. It is meant to be a center where students can gather together and feel at home. There are signs all over the walls with encouraging messages and religious artwork, and there is a shelf in a corner filled with mugs, hot tea, and coffee available for visitors.

​

However, this lifestyle does come with its own unique set of challenges. Sidney Snyder, the other woman on the missionary team, explained, “We have a routine, but it is often very fluid, and things change, so we have to adapt very quickly. It’s also a very social lifestyle, so if we are not making time for ourselves, it can become very draining. We also have to sacrifice for our family and friends back home. Our priority is the students at IUPUI and so we are not able to go home as often as we might have.” Allie shared that another challenge is that they are not always able to see their actions bear fruit. “What I’m doing might not have an effect for years. I have to trust that even though I can’t see the impact, it is there, even if it doesn’t show up until years down the road.”

​

Even with these challenges, they say they love getting to share the “great news” of love, as Sidney said. They believe they have received a divine love and want to share it with others. “We hear about joys and struggles and then we got to step into that and pray with them. The whole job is about love… What could be more important than that?” Allie concluded, “Even in small ways, I know it’s worth it. Every soul is worth it.”

 

Works Cited

Chidiac, Anthony. "The Spirituality of Mother Teresa." The Australasian Catholic Record, vol. 93, no. 4, 2016, pp. 469-477. ProQuest, ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/docview/1856847449?accountid=7398. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019.

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"For These Young Nuns, Habits Are the New Radical." Written by Barbara B. Hagerty, National Public Radio, 22 Dec. 2010. , www.npr.org/2010/12/22/131753494/for-these-young-nuns-habits-are-the-new-radical. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019.

​

"Good Advice for the Ages: Find Your Own Calcutta." Asheville Citizen - Times, Sep 10, 2016. ProQuest, http://ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1818066176?accountid=7398. Accessed 16 October 2019.

​

Voelkel, Jack. "21 Missionaries You Should Know." Urbana, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, 16 July 2014, urbana.org/blog/21-missionaries-you-should-know. Accessed 7 Oct. 2019.

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"What We Do." FOCUS, FOCUS , www.focus.org/what-we-do/overview. Accessed 8 Oct. 2019.

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October 3rd DRAFT

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I’d been to the missionary women’s house once before for a freshman event. Allie told me that they want to make it a center where students can gather and be at home, and the environment suits that purpose well. It is charming and small, located a few minutes off campus. Almost everywhere I looked, there were encouraging signs and religious artwork. The shelf in a corner grabbed my attention. It held a collection of mugs, coffee, and tea. As someone who collects mugs and loves hot drinks, this made me feel at home. Allie offered me some water and tea, and after chatting for a few minutes, we got down to business, sitting on a couch in their living room.  

Allie grew up in Minnesota and while she was not involved with any faith in high school, a retreat experience she had changed this. When she attended SEEK, a nationwide conference hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (commonly called FOCUS), her perspective changed. “I encountered love in a very real way. Going back to campus, I realized that my college campus had FOCUS missionaries, so I followed up and connected with them. It turned into a snowball effect of getting involved.” She joined various meetings and Bible studies and started discipleship, a one-on-one mentorship. Through these, she explained, “I kept experiencing God’s love, in which I had all my desires fulfilled, finding happiness and true friendships which I will cherish forever.”

Another turning point came on a mission trip to Mexico. “It was my first time to serve the poor,” she remembered. “It was hard seeing people in such poverty, but I got to love and serve them, which brought me so much joy and fulfillment. It changed my worldview.” This left her wanting more. “Returning home, I remember walking and thinking ‘Jesus, I want to serve the poor.’ There certainly were people in my town who were less fortunate, but it was harder to serve in the way I had experienced.”

In this time, she thought of Mother Teresa’s words: “Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely, right where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in homes and in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have eyes to see.” (cite) Allie said, “I felt like the Lord told me, ‘Look around you.’ When I did, I saw students who didn’t know or have the love that had brought me such freedom. They were spiritually poor, trying to find fulfilment in the party scene, but I had found a fullness I couldn’t explain, and I wanted to share it. The Lord said to me, ‘These are the poor I want you to save.’”

From there, joining the ranks of FOCUS missionaries was the obvious place to turn for her. She was already familiar with and drawn to their model of small group investment. “It was what I was familiar with already. The missionaries I knew had such joy, happiness, and excellence that attracted me. I felt that FOCUS provided them that space and investment to help them become excellent, and I wanted that. It seemed much more tangible and doable than other options. They help everyone be known, loved, and cared for.”

Now entering her third year of being a FOCUS missionary at IUPUI, she shared a snapshot of what fills her days. “Every day, our team prays together for an hour and go to Mass. We try to start our days with that, because we can’t try to be Christ to others unless we are first formed by him.” The team also meets daily to have “tactical planning” where they check in on and update each other on how things are going and be led by the team leader in developing tools to be better missionaries. Also, “we fully fundraise our own salaries, so we spread that throughout the week.” The rest of the day varies, but is typically filled with Bible studies, discipleship meetings, small group meetings, or helping with campus ministry. “We try to be a strong presence for the students, so we enter the lives of college students again. The hope is that who I am and how I live can help bring others to the Lord, so we emphasize the relational side in our outreach, studies, time with students, and just living life together.”

As Sidney Snyder, the other female on the missionary team, admitted, however, this lifestyle comes with its own unique set of challenges. Sidney explained, “We have a routine, but it is often very fluid, and things change, so we have to adapt very quickly. It’s also a very social lifestyle, so if we are not making time for ourselves, it can become very draining. We also have to sacrifice for our family and friends back home. Our priority is the students at IUPUI and so we are not able to go home as often as we might have.” Allie shared that another challenge is that they are not always able to see their actions bear fruit. “What I’m doing might not have an effect for years. I have to trust that even though I can’t see the impact, it is there, even if it doesn’t show up until years down the road.”

Even with these challenges, they love getting to “share that great news,” as Sidney said. “We hear about joys and struggles and then we got to step into that and pray with them. The whole job is about love,” and “what could be more important than that?” Allie concluded, “Even in small ways, I know it’s worth it. Every soul is worth it.”