For more resources please visit www.destino.org.
One guy’s journey: How do you start a Destino movement on your campus?
Some time ago, Alan Toigo, Cru staff at the U of Missouri (Mizzou), emailed me to ask me to pray for Destino on his campus. As I read Alan’s email, I thought it would be really instructive for you as you help launch a Destino movement this fall. Alan’s email is in standard font and my comments are in italics. As you read this, I pray that God encourages and equips you to do whatever He’s calling you to this fall semester…
Good morning my friend. I would like to ask you to pray for Destino at Mizzou. Here’s the scoop:
After CSU last year, I felt convinced that the Lord wanted to start a Destino movement at Mizzou.
Stop and think about this. How important is it for us to hear from the Lord ? Destino at Mizzou started with Alan interacting with the Lord, summer of 2009. Sure, God used people to tell Alan about starting Destino when he was at the staff conference at Colorado State, but it was the Lord that convinced Alan that He wanted this for the U of Missouri.
Long story short, I began going to the HALO meetings on campus and met Gaby. Not sure if you remember her. She was the girl whose parents are from Brazil that seemed very interested in launching Destino.
You can’t catch a fish unless you get your line in the water . Alan went to where Latino students were at: HALO (Hispanic American Leadership Organization) meetings. That resulted in him finding one student who was really interested, Gaby.
We set up a Destino table in a high traffic area on campus during Cross 09. This was a huge faith step because Mizzou only has around 400 Hispanic students in a sea of 30,000 students. We made a big Destino banner and put a tag line on it about Hispanic student ministry.
By faith, take the next step . Alan and Gaby took the next step to let others know about Destino.
In two days we had around 12 Hispanic students stop by interested! The best part is about Miguel!
It takes one to find one . One student, Gaby, helped Alan find 12 other interested students. Of those 12, Miguel has surfaced as a key insider.
Right after Cross 09 my wife and I had to pull off campus to raise support and we were off all spring. [This was] really sad because no one on our team was able to follow up the Destino contacts.
Things won’t go perfectly . A setback happened. Alan had to pull off campus for many months to raise support and his team wasn’t able to keep things going.
However, we are back on campus this fall and I met with Miguel yesterday. He is the hall director for one of the dorms on campus and is originally from Peru. He is a believer and is so excited about Destino!
There will be setbacks, but that’s o.k . Alan picked up where he left off with Miguel and Miguel is still ready to go.
I explained to him about the three types of students, (A, B, and C) and how if a person is a B or C Hispanic student at Mizzou there is no place to find answers if you are spiritually seeking! I told him that I think its crazy that nothing yet exists for Hispanic students if they are going to be the future of the college landscape! He shared my enthusiasm.
You don’t need a PhD to do this . Alan shared a few simple things about ethnicity with Miguel and a clear vision of how Destino could serve Latino students on campus .
The best part about meeting with him is he invited me to two events this week. Miguel is the chair for the Hispanic Faculty Association at Mizzou. They meet on Friday at 12:30 and Miguel wants me to attend the meeting, meet the other board members, pitch Destino, and ask them to partner with me. Second, he invited me to the Mizzou Hispanic Student Orientation on Sunday! This is an event that HALO and the Hispanic Faculty put on for the students. Miguel wants me to share about Destino and handout FSKs!
It just takes one key insider . Understanding the need and vision for Destino at Mizzou, Miguel is opening doors for Alan .
I am SO EXCITED about how God is opening doors here!
Would you please pray for three specific things? 1) I am trying to get a meeting with the new HALO president to talk about an official HALO/Destino partnership. My vision is that we could work together to put on events for Hispanic students. 2) That I would find favor with the Hispanic faculty on Friday and have words to say to them about what Destino is and how they can partner with us, and 3) For God to bring two students that would be persons of peace to the orientation on Sunday and that they would want to help lead Destino with me?
[By the way] what are the details of the Destino Fall Retreat and Winter Conference?
Let others help you . Alan is letting others in on what is happening and how we can pray for him and help him. He sees how Destino’s retreats and conferences can help him build a spiritual movement among Latino students at Mizzou.
Thank you for your emotional support in all of this and prayers! I feel like I’m living Acts right now cuz I’m just showing up in faith and watching God work!
It won’t be perfect but it is very exciting to step out in faith and see God work . Alan is having a blast living out the book of Acts. And so will you this fall! Let us know how we can pray and support you.
Jim Sautner
Destino National Director
Fall 2010
©1994-2020 Cru. All Rights Reserved.
