Evan & Lauren Burge

Hello! We are the Burge family!

Where We serve

This is our fourth year serving with FOCUS, and it’s been a gift to walk with college students as they come to know Christ and live as His disciples. This year, Evan is stepping into a new role as a Philanthropy Engagement Officer, where he helps connect benefactors to the greater work of evangelization through FOCUS. Though the role has shifted, our mission remains the same—to help others encounter Jesus and fulfill the great commission.

Our Story

We met at the University of Illinois Newman Center. It was there on the college campus that we encountered missionaries who taught us who the person of Jesus was and how we can live in deep relationship with Him. As we came to know Christ, we began to radically change the way we lived our lives. We started to root out sin and love as Christ loved. Our hearts were set on fire with a desire to share this transformative truth with others, especially with college students searching for their identity amidst the noise of campus life. That desire led us to say “yes” to the call of becoming missionaries!

Along with our daughters Avila & Georgia, we strive to witness to the beauty of holy marriage and family life! We’re grateful to now be the ones helping students discover the same life-changing relationship with Jesus that transformed our own hearts!

Your Impact

When we answered the call to join FOCUS, we made the decision to rely entirely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners to make this mission possible. As FOCUS missionaries, we step out in faith and depend on the generosity of individuals and families who believe in the importance of reaching souls for Christ on the college campus.

We’ve been incredibly blessed by a community of mission partners who have walked alongside us—praying for us, encouraging us, and giving sacrificially—so that we can be fully present to the students we serve.

If you feel called to be part of this mission, whether through prayer, financial support, or both, we would love to connect with you personally. We’d be honored to share more about how God is working through this mission and how you can be a vital part of it.

Give Now

If you have any questions or need help setting up your gift, please contact us at [email protected].

Find other missionaries

FOCUS brings the joy of the Gospel to colleges and parishes across the United States (and beyond)!

GET STARTED

FOCUS Find A Missionary Know Love Serve God Monstrance

Know, Love and Serve God

We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.

Build Virtuous Friendships

By building genuine friendships, we meet students on a deeper level.

FOCUS Find A Missionary Teach Others Share Christ Smiling

Teach Others to Share Christ

We teach students how to share the gospel, who in turn teach other students how to pass it on.

Host	Retreat Type	Start Date	End Date
Tulane University	Way of the Disciple	09/05/24	09/07/24
University of Nebraska Lincoln	The Sanctifier	09/13/24	09/15/24
Parish Outreach	The Father’s House	09/16/24	09/18/24
Kansas State University	The Father’s House	09/20/24	09/22/24
University of Delaware	Rec	09/20/24	09/22/24
University of South Carolina – Columbia	Rec	09/27/24	09/29/24
St. Francis University	The Father’s House	10/04/24	10/06/24
Nicholls State University	The Father’s House	10/04/24	10/06/24
Northwestern State University	The Father’s House	10/11/24	10/13/24
University of Memphis	The Father’s House	10/11/24	10/13/24
Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville	The Father’s House	10/18/24	10/20/24
Ohio State University	The Father’s House	10/18/24	10/20/24
University of Dallas	The Sanctifier	10/24/24	10/26/24
Central Connecticut State University	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
Universidad de Monterrey	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
California State University – Fullerton	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
Sts. Anne and Joaquim, Fargo, ND	Way of the Disciple	11/01/24	11/03/24
University of Krems	Men’s	11/01/24	11/03/24
University of Mary	The Father’s House	11/08/24	11/10/24
DePauw University	Rec	11/08/24	11/10/24
Philanthropy Engagement	Way of the Disciple	11/15/24	11/17/24
University of Passau	Rec	11/21/24	11/23/24
Texas A&M University	The Sanctifier	02/07/25	02/09/25
FOCUS Greek Southeast	The Father’s House	02/14/25	02/16/25
FOCUS Greek Midwest	The Father’s House	02/14/25	02/16/25
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	The Sanctifier	02/14/25	02/16/25
FOCUS Greek Southwest	The Father’s House	02/21/25	02/23/25
Wayne State University	The Father’s House	02/21/25	02/23/25
University of Illinois-Chicago	The Sanctifier	02/21/25	02/23/25
Queens College of the City University of New York	The Father’s House	03/07/25	03/09/25
Nicholls State University	Way of the Disciple	03/07/25	03/09/25
Grand Valley State University	The Father’s House	03/28/25	03/30/25
University of Northern Iowa	Way of the Disciple	04/03/25	04/05/25
University of Nebraska Lincoln	The Father’s House	04/04/25	04/06/25
Arizona State University	Men’s	02/07/25	02/09/25
University of Nebraska at Kearney	Rec	09/27/24	09/29/24