After graduating from the University of Miami in the spring of 2016, Michael Fuentes decided to put his career on hold, and he accepted a full-time college missionary position with an organization called FOCUS. The goal of the organization is to invite college students into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. They do this by inspiring and equipping students for a lifetime of Christ-centered Evangelization, Discipleship, and Friendship. They work primarily with college students, ages 18 to 22, who are experiencing life outside of their home for the first time. Most of these students are too preoccupied with finding friends and studying, instead of devoting any time to Christ.
I met with Michael this summer, and I was impressed by his zeal and passion. He originally signed up for a two-year commitment, but decided to extend his commitment by an additional year. I asked him: “What is your motivation?” And his answer blew me away: “When God called, I could not say no.” I asked myself, how would I have reacted if any one of my three children had told me that they were putting their careers on hold to do missionary work. I may have been thrilled for one year... but three years? I probably would have had mixed feelings because let’s be real, college tuition is pretty high. Rafael and I always told them that if we could, we would cover the cost of their college tuition so they could graduate debt free, but in return, they had to study something that would lead to a career where our investment in their education paid off, not for us, but for them. So if they came to us with “missionary” plans, more than likely, we would have told them to first go to work, save some money, and then, if they still wanted to go change the world, then go do it with their own money. So I must say that not only am I in awe of Michael, but also of his parents who have allowed him to answer God’s call and follow his vocation.
As a missionary, Michael’s goal is to help men encounter Christ in their lives. He accomplishes this goal through one on one mentorship, bible studies and authentic friendships with guys he encounters on campus. Michael spent his first year at Columbia University. He quickly realized how much the students were missing an encounter with the Lord. But although this was a very difficult campus, in the year that he served, he saw the rewards of his mission by increasing male participation from 4 to 25. The following year, he was called to serve at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Here, Michael helped FOCUS launch FOCUS Latino, with the hopes to reach out to more Hispanics in our country. He found Mason to be quite different from Columbia. In one year, he was able to minister to over 300 students at the Catholic Center. He says that “it was a blessing to be able to see spiritual multiplication in full effect.” Due to his success in leading the Hispanic outreach program, Michael has returned to Mason where he will continue to work with the hispanic movement during the next school year.
In addition to spreading the word of God in the college campus thru bible studies and other activities, Michael took four students to the Yucatan Peninsula during Spring Break. They did not go to the beaches to have the time of their lives like most college students do during their spring break. Instead, they went on a mission trip where they served the poor in a local village by doing house visits and presenting them with the Word of the gospel.
Michael has allowed the Lord to be the sculptor of his life, but he does not receive a salary to do his missionary work. In order to accomplish this task, he needs financial and spiritual support! For this, during the summer, his job is to seek Mission Partners to embark with him on this mission of living out the new evangelization. Unfortunately, most of us, cannot take a year off to go preach at college campuses even though the need is definitely there, as I was able to experience with each of my three children. But most of us can help young men and women, like Michael, by supporting them with monthly financial contributions and/or prayers. In return, Michael will reward us by praying for our families and any of our needs.
If you would like to learn more about Michael and the FOCUS mission, here is a link to his support page:
Michael Fuentes’ Support Page
Please pray for Michael as he strives to help students have a radical encounter with Christ that will change their lives like the Lord changed his, simply because he chose to answer the call with a resounding YES.
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