Founded in the fall semester of 2022 by Sara Mora, class of 2023, Mission Youth is a club at the University of Dallas centered on ministering to the homeless.
Sharbel Habchy, junior computer science major and president of Mission Youth, said, “This has been the first full year where we’ve had a club, and it’s been amazing. We’ve had so many people come out and it’s been a great experience.”
At the beginning of the 2021-2022 academic year, Habchy, Mora and a few other UD students began monthly missions ministering to the homeless under Regnum Christi, a Catholic organization.
Soon, interest in the missions began to grow, and the decision was made to form a club. As a club, the missions have drawn so many people that at times, the club has been able to send students to nursing homes as well to try to spread out its missionaries.
The primary focus of the missions is not so much evangelization, but simply spending time with the homeless and listening to them.
“Evangelization is not our primary goal – we’re not going to go and try and convert them,” said Habchy. “But honestly, the homeless have a stronger faith than most of the people I encounter in daily life so that a lot of the time you’ll end up talking about theology with them. Because when you don’t have any relations with people to hold you up or any financial support, the only thing you can really turn to is God, so it’s amazing to see their faith.”
As a club, Mission Youth can put money toward things they could not before. The club’s budget goes towards sweatshirts, hand warmers, hygiene packets (toothpaste, etc.), food, water and T-shirts for the club members that the homeless can recognize. The club has a certain amount of money to spend per mission, but they also rely on donations.
The club meets for missions every first and third Saturday of the month at the UD tower at 1:45 p.m. After gathering at the tower, they meet at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church outside Dallas, where general instructions are given as to how to properly interact with the homeless, followed by group prayer. The missions last from 2-5 p.m., taking place outside of City Hall in Dallas.
“I think that talking to the homeless changes your perspective on life and reminds you of what’s really important,” said DeGeeter, “We are really privileged and it’s easy to forget that sometimes because we all live in the same environment for the most part here on campus.”
Mission Youth is planning a grill-out/ cookout with the homeless on Saturday, Apr. 20, complete with hamburgers, hotdogs and music. A sizable portion of the club’s budget will be dedicated to funding this event.
“We’ll be partnering with the Boy Scouts to drive up a grill and grill a bunch of hot dogs and hamburgers, maybe play some guitar with them – just really try to emphasize that community aspect with them,” said Habchy.
Manny Barajas, senior English major, is the chair of service advocacy for Student Government, which involves funding and advertising several service groups on campus if needed, including Mission Youth, Crusaders for Life and Xenia Society.
Speaking on Mission Youth, Barajas said, “I think they’re doing something that’s really important for UD. It changes your perspective, seeing the homeless as real people.”
Mission Youth has been growing, and its members continue to encourage one and all to join them in this work of charity and devotion to one’s fellow man.
“[Christ] went to the beggars, he went to the prostitutes, he went to the people that no one wanted to touch. And that’s something that we get the opportunity to do at UD, where we have so many gifts, so many blessings,” said Habchy. “We have to take all these gifts and blessings and give them to someone else. When you give to God, He gives back so much more than you could even expect.”