Día de los Muertos Outreach

Paul building the altar with some of the students

Priscilla (staff) and Christina (student) with the finished altar

Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration takes place on November 1–2, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl. 

explaining the altar (the gospel) to a student

Given the significance of this holiday in Latino culture, Destino wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity to reach out to the campus.  Other student clubs had organized a celebration right on campus.  Why not bring redemption and meaning to something that people are already doing?  So at Cal State Fullerton (pictured) and Cal State Long Beach, our students helped to build their own altar to share the message of Christ's sacrifice and conquering of death for our sake.  Each level of the altar represented a different aspect of the gospel story.  What a unique opportunity to share the truth that God desires to rescue us from spiritual death to give us true life!  At Fullerton alone, our staff and students were able to share the gospel with 25 students!  We may never see all the fruit in this life, but we definitely trust that God used these conversations to plant a seed that He will continue to water in the lives of the students who encountered this gospel altar.  Pray for those students!