April 2025 - Endings & New Beginnings

 

Hello friends & family!!

I hope you had a wonderful Easter getting to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord!

It has been a busy and fruitful month! Thank you for taking the time to read through all the updates and pray alongside me!

Raising Up Leaders

In the picture below is me and my coworker Joey along with 3 students: Zullie, Dyanna, and Mahagony!

I get the privilege of investing in and mentoring these 3 young women on a weekly basis. They are all very ambitious, bright, and enthusiatic students - Zullie and Mahagony are student athletes (on the soccer and basketball team respectively) and Dyanna is the vice president of the Student Government Association on campus! Though their extracurriculars keep them busy, they are very committed to growing in their faith and excited to be a source of Jesus's love to the others students around them in each of their circles of influences. 

We are thrilled to be able to send them to a conference centered around college students being equipped to be misisonaries to their campus. The annual conference is called "Student Institute of Campus Ministry" and is held is Bellingham, Washington in mid-May. Please be praying for their hearts and minds to be open, inspired, and emboldened as they attend this upcoming conference! 

Reaching Out to the Campus

We are trying to find ways to creatively connect with new students on campus! This month, we had a table with the question "What are you stressed about?" plastered across it. Students were invited to respond to the question by painitng their hands with the colors that corresponded to their stressors. We found it to be a great way to start conversations with people that led to depth and open doors to invite them into Christian community!

We also invited the campus for a basketball and volleyball night and got to meet dozens of new students!

Changes Ahead

FOCUS, the ministry I work for, invited me to prayerfully consider transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington staff team next school year. Long story short - God opened the doors wide and I decided to say yes!

I have been ministering at a community college (Dallas College) the last 2 years and have learned so much! I am hopeful for what the future holds returning to a four-year university to do ministry; it is a completely different culture and will be a big adjustment!

Kazayet and I recently moved from Irving to Arlington to be closer to the UTA campus. Look how many people from the UTA ministry showed up to help us (and for context, we only knew 2 of these people personally!). We feel tremendously welcomed and supported already by the Arlington community!

As this semester at Dallas College comes to an end, please be praying for a smooth transition to the UTA FOCUS staff team!

Other Sweet Moments

Kazayet and I have started rollerblading together recently! A great way to connect and enjoy the scenic parks in our new neighborhood!

My coworker Sandra got married and we got to celebrate with them! Of course, we always enjoy getting down on the dance floor!

It was our last Sunday at our current church (The Northeast Church) before transitioning to the church in Arlington. The church prayed for us as they sent us out to be missionaries in Arlington. It meant so much to us.

Love you guys! Never hesitate to reach out and connect!

Veronica