Reaching the World From Charlotte
Maria Cruzat attended UNC Charlotte, graduated with degrees in International Studies, Public Health, and Spanish, and planned to work overseas. . Her graduation coincided with the global pandemic, and her plans required an adjustment. The Campus Outreach Charlotte area director suggested she shift her focus to building laborers who could one day accompany her overseas. Maria arrived back on the UNCC campus in March of 2022, ready to see how God would use her passion for the world on the third-largest campus in North Carolina.
Committed to showing US students God’s heart for the world, Maria’s outreach and plan to share Jesus focused on the 2000+ international students on campus. Her discipleship group is made up of traditional US students. She believes they will “catch what she cares about,” which has proven true. Each has shown interest in the international world: studying abroad, going on cross-cultural projects with Campus Outreach, and ministering alongside Maria on campus. They are never in want of opportunities to meet and build relationships with women from other countries.
75% of the internationals at UNCC are from the 10/40 window and have never had the opportunity to know about Jesus. Bangladesh is one of the countries represented, and Maria recently wrote about doors God opened for her to walk through:
“I'm in a bridal suite, wearing traditional Bengali clothing and jewelry, listening to the beautiful Bengali language while I watch Minnie prepare for her wedding ceremony. I take it all in and am awed by the beauty of Bengali culture. Friends, family, and "aunties" help ensure she looks presentable, comfortable, and respectful of her Bengali culture. Minnie started her journey of learning more about Jesus while doing her Masters elsewhere, and now she is doing her PhD at UNCC.
In Bangladesh, 90% of people are Muslims, 8% Hindus, and followers of Jesus make up 0.4%. During the two days of wedding festivities, God opened opportunities to connect with nine Bengali students—seven getting their PhD and two getting their Bachelor's. Four of them live in the same condominium area as me, and one is the president of the Bangladesh Student Organization.”
Please join us in praying that Maria will not grow weary in doing good. Pray for these relationships, for the Lord to reveal Himself to students from Bangladesh and beyond, and for laborers to be built on the UNCC campus for the lost world.