I will be serving at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia as a first-year missionary with FOCUS.  George Mason is located around 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C., and has a student population of around 39,000.  I will be serving on a team of five missionaries this year, alongside Tess, Martin, Elizabeth, and Arianne.  I am super excited to begin this next journey on mission for Jesus!

From left: Tess, Elizabeth, James, Martin, Arianne

When I was invited to join a bible study at the University of Pittsburgh, my life was marred with sin and I was deeply unfulfilled with the way I was living.  I was excelling in my classes, meeting new friends, cheering at football games, and immersing myself in party culture, but I felt empty inside.  I was pursuing everything I felt would make me happy, turning everywhere outside of my Catholic faith to find fulfillment.  But it wasn’t working.  I was lonely, disappointed that I couldn’t share my deepest struggles and questions with my peers, and wanted to live out my faith, but was easily drawn away by many other distractions in my life.  However, within bible study, I encountered God in Scripture, and I realized I had to change my life, living for Him, not for myself and other things I was pursuing.  With the accompaniment of a friend who walked with me, invited me into close friendship and brotherhood, and called me higher, my relationship with God slowly became the main focus in my life.  The last two years of my college career, I began to lead my own bible study and walk with other students in discipleship much like my friend had done for me.  From there, God has graciously called me to serve in this way as a FOCUS missionary on campuses to continue this mission of evangelization and providing college students with an opportunity to encounter Jesus where they are at.

Through actively supporting our mission, you are enabling me to reach college students in ways that otherwise would not be possible.  Your generosity will help to cover basic living expenses such as groceries, rent and housing, medical expenses, and other needs while allowing me to reach campus this Fall.  At George Mason, your support will allow me to share the Gospel with students by meeting with them over coffee or sharing meals, cooking meals for my bible study, and hosting other events for students.  More importantly, your gifts will also contribute to scholarships for students to attend transformative events of encounter with our Lord, such as retreats, mission trips, and the national FOCUS SEEK conference.  Above all, your prayers, by the grace of God, will touch the hearts of the students I will meet this upcoming year.  I am deeply honored by your consideration of supporting our mission!