Luis Ponton

Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

– Luke 9:23

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Where I serve

I am excited to announce I will be serving my first year at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Washington! I will be working with my team Nick, Carmen, and Angeles! Go Eags! 🦅

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My Story

I am so incredibly blessed and filled with joy to get to be a first-year FOCUS missionary! The Lord has really moved so much in my heart to be free to serve Him in His Great Commission to make disciples of all nations starting at college campuses! God really makes plans with our lives that with just our surrender and obedience to Him, he blesses so abundantly.

How did I get here?

I graduated from Boise State University with a Bachelors of Science in Health Studies. Though I had planned to get a job in the medical field or even pursue a graduate level degree in medical school, Christ had so much to heal in my heart and called me to help bring others to the faith through FOCUS. I really had my first encounters with Christ in my time at Boise State following a lukewarm, “cultural Catholic” upbringing. Coming into college fall 2020, having just received the sacrament of confirmation that summer and at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had nothing but time to really set myself apart from my family and explore the faith I had just accepted as my own. Through the fellowship I had experienced at Bronco Catholic and encounter with the sacraments, I received an abundance of love and healing I would have otherwise never known. By the end of my college career, I was leading a bible study, walking with three other men in discipleship, a student leader, and most importantly strong in my identity as a beloved son of Christ.

What do I do?

The short answer is as Christ commanded us is to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). I have the incredible honor to live alongside the thinkers and future leaders of tomorrow, college students, and work to walk alongside them in the faith for the first time or, through the Holy Spirit, convict them even deeper of the love Christ has for each one of us individually. The surrender of our life as a missionary is our acceptance and yes to being His instrument for evangelization.

Practically, being a FOCUS missionary gives us the privilege to attend daily mass, partake in daily adoration, lead bible studies, and walk with students in discipleship as a full-time job. All of this is modeled by the Master Himself as He not only physically walked alongside His apostles, but he worked to win, build, and send them just as we as missionaries pray to do with our students.

Your Impact

When I answered the call to join FOCUS, I made the decision to rely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners to help me through this mission. If you are interested in partnering with me, please let me know of the best way to reach you and I will schedule an appointment. I’d be honored to share this mission with you.

[email protected] // (208) 697-7231

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

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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