Close

How to Know God

Do you ever wonder what Christians believe? Who Jesus is, what he did and why it matters? Get answers to these questions and more.

Spiritual Growth

Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth.

Life & Relationships

Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God.

Bible Studies

Find resources for personal or group Bible study.

Share the Gospel

Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus.

Help Others Grow

Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring.

Leadership Training

Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are.

Video

Browse videos designed to help you grow spiritually, share your faith, and lead others well.

Language Resources

View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages.

Quizzes & Assessments

Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others.

Campus

Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others.

City

Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city.

Inner City

Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs.

Athletes

Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation.

Families

Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage.

High School

Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school.

Military

Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide.

Locate Cru Near You

Explore Cru's global presence and discover how you can get involved in communities worldwide.

Events

Whether you're interested in conferences or local gatherings, there's an opportunity for you. Explore upcoming events and find your place to serve and grow.

Mission Trips

Explore domestic and global mission trips with Cru—serve, grow, and make an eternal impact. Opportunities for students, families, and professionals.

Internships

Explore Cru's internship opportunities—serve globally or locally, develop your skills, and make an eternal impact. Apply today!

Careers

Explore full- and part-time ministry careers with Cru—use your skills to impact eternity. Apply today!

Volunteer

Explore volunteer opportunities with Cru and use your skills to impact lives for eternity.

International

Explore global mission opportunities with Cru—serve, grow, and make an eternal impact.

What We Do

How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus.

Donor Relations

Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Cru’s annual report and more.

Our Leadership

Learn about Cru's global leadership team.

Cru Partnerships

When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen.

Storylines

Showing God in action in and through His people.

Press

Access Cru's latest news releases, media contacts, and background information on our global ministries and leadership.

0

Students Bring Inspiration to the Dominican Republic

Oliver Marin, a young Cru staff member from Panama, had spent months praying, recruiting Panamanian students and making preparations for the 10-day ministry trip to campuses in the Dominican Republic.

For the first time in the history of Panama, a team of students and staff members were sent to another country with the message of Christ. The team hit the ground running, meeting students and talking about Jesus, expecting God to do big things. But what awaited them at the end of their trip surprised even Oliver.

An Unexpected Person of Peace

While on the campus of Universidad Autonoma Santa Domingo (UASD) in the Dominican Republic, Oliver befriended the president of UASD. Oliver spoke with the president about what his team of 18 students from Panama was doing in the Dominican Republic. Their shared interest in teaching students values and principles quickly connected them.

When Oliver told him that his team wanted to host a concert and party for the students on campus, the president canceled the cultural event slated for the next night and turned over the venue to the team and their cause.

An Impromptu Party with a Purpose

The next night, Thursday, students rolled into the party. Oliver, who sings in a band back in Panama, and several others entertained the audience of 400 by playing several sets of popular secular songs. The band skillfully weaved their personal faith stories in between music sets.

"I had a crazy life before Christ," said Oliver from the stage, recounting his time on campus over 6 years ago. Oliver had been in his third year studying tourism at a university in Panama when a national director from Cru had approached him and talked about what it meant to be in a right relationship with God.

Oliver had committed to follow Jesus Christ that day. "It changed my life," he said.

Sitting among the crowd, Juan Carlos, a UASD student with a lot of struggles, listened intently to Oliver's story.

At the close of the evening, the band and team of students from Panama invited everyone to come back for a follow-up party the next night. Juan Carlos made a mental note.

The party, though evangelistic in nature, would also mark the end of the ministry portion of the team's trip.

Students Return to Hear More about Christ

To the team's delight, 250 students, including Juan Carlos, returned on Friday night. The party was scheduled to last 2 hours but the Dominican students didn't want leave.

After the final party, Juan Carlos approached Oliver and talked about some of his wounds, disappointments and struggles. Juan Carlos said that he saw something different in Oliver and was interested in talking more.

"Call me tomorrow morning," said Oliver, who was more than willing to talk but not expectant for anything to happen in the last few hours of their time in the Dominican Republic. Experience had taught him that the odds of a phone call were slim.

An Important Phone Call from Juan Carlos

Oliver's phone rang at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

Shortly afterward, he met Juan Carlos. The 2 men went outside and found a seat beneath a tree where many of the team's 145 spiritual conversations had taken place over the last 10 days.

Along the way, Juan Carlos had contacted 4 of his friends, and they were all now seated with Oliver under a big, beautiful tree on campus.

Nearby, packed for their debrief trip, Oliver's team waited on the bus for the next 45 minutes as Oliver continued to sit and explain the gospel to these 5 students.

Oliver Uses Nature to Help Students Understand the Gospel

Realizing that he only had 1 evangelistic booklet and there were now 5 students, Oliver used his own story and natural surroundings to talk about Jesus.

At the end of their time, all 5 heads bowed in prayer, each of them indicating a decision to follow Christ.

A few short minutes later, after a bittersweet parting, the bus drove away. Though Oliver wished he could stay and help these new brothers and sister grow in their new faith, that was not the role the Lord had slated for him to fill.

There are only 2 long-term staff members in the Dominican Republic and a lot of follow-up work to do. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Since 1951, Cru has helped individuals who grapple with integrating faith into daily life by offering practical steps and community support. As a result, countless people in over 190 countries have been empowered to move from passive belief to active faith.