Cru on Campus
Looking for a group on campus to grow in your faith? Cru is an international organization at many colleges that aims to help students build their relationship with God. Cru was formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ and is led by Lexi Shields, Arika Hofmann and Nyasaina Kwamboka.
Shields originally got started with Cru through Instagram by filling out an online form. “I expressed interest and started talking to the Cru recruiter, Stefan, and he asked if I knew anyone else who may want to be leaders and I thought of my two teammates, Arika Hofmann and Nyasaina Kwamboka, who are God loving people as well,” stated sophomore, Shields.
The three are teammates on the cross country and track team and are now learning how to be student leaders by two Cru leaders, Stefan and Amy. “I felt there was a need for Cru on campus because Arika talked to me about wanting to have a group and a need for students to have a place to learn and explore God’s word and the promises it holds for us. I want people to feel welcome to bring questions and just experience for themselves who God is,” said Shields.
“Lexi texted me and told me about Cru. I thought this was a good opportunity to establish the student-led organization, given the toxic social vibes in America. I was raised in an interfaith community, I learned that walking with God is not a religion, it is more about how you treat people, how you treat yourself, and your personal relationship with your Creator. It’s simple but our world has overcomplicated, misinterpreted, and manipulated it to the advantage of others,” said Kwamboka.
Kwamboka is from Kenya, where she currently studies remotely. “When I first came to the states, I learned that society wasn’t everything I liked to imagine. A lot of people didn’t get along and it was kind of awkward at first. I hope that Cru can create an environment for people to embrace themselves and embrace others. An environment to talk to God and chill with the word,” said Kwamboka.
Since Kwamboka studies remotely from home in Kenya, she states that she is dedicated to Cru because it’s the only non-academic way she is connected to campus. The Cru meetings are at 7pm CST but in Kenya, that is the equivalent of 3am. She sets an alarm for 2:30am and 2:45am, rolls out of bed and grabs a snack before the meeting.
The leaders want Cru to be a place where everyone feels welcome to come whether they are Christian or not. “We wanted to start a Christian, Bible focused group because we haven’t seen too many groups like that on campus. We are a student led organization, so we are able to get help from Amy (the student leaders’ mentor who helps with leadership skills and helps prepare for the weekly Bible studies), but we are learning how to lead without her,” said junior Arika Hofmann. “I hope that we can continue growing in members, but most importantly I hope we are growing in our faith together and become a community where people feel welcome and encouraged,” said Shields.
Cru meets on Thursdays at 7pm, on Zoom with hopes to meet in person starting next semester. You can find Monmouth Cru on Instagram @cru_monmouth. The link for the Zoom meetings is in their Instagram bio.
Alison Barrington - Staff Writer