Colorado Christian University Advances First-of-Its-Kind Partnership with Compassion International in Honduras
Lakewood, Colo. — Nineteen students from Colorado Christian University (CCU), led by Campus Pastor Paul Faust and his wife Jenn, recently returned from an impactful CCU2theWorld mission trip to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where they served at CCU’s sponsored Compassion International site. This unique partnership — the first of its kind between Compassion and a university — continues to grow as a model for Christian higher education's role in global ministry.
CCU students brought the love of Christ to children and families through Vacation Bible School programming and acts of service for the local church and Compassion staff. Student leaders played a central role in coordinating the outreach, including a powerful evening of foot washing and shared meals — initiated and led entirely by students — to honor the site's staff in Christlike humility and gratitude.
The visit marked the second student mission to the site since the partnership’s launch in 2023. Today, 165 children are sponsored by CCU students, faculty, and staff. For many students, the trip was a deeply personal opportunity to meet their sponsored children, some for the second time, further solidifying relationships formed across borders through shared faith and compassion.
In a meaningful milestone for CCU's involvement, University President Eric Hogue and First Lady Tammy Hogue joined the team on-site to participate in the grand opening of a new playground — funded by CCU — and to meet with local leaders. Their visit affirmed the University's commitment to the site and its surrounding community.
“It’s one thing to hear about impact; it’s another to see it firsthand — to shake hands with those making it happen and to hug the children whose lives are being changed,” President Hogue said. “This is kingdom work, and it reflects the heart of CCU’s mission to raise up servant leaders in the world.”
The Hogues also traveled with a small delegation to Tegucigalpa to meet with leaders at Compassion's national office. Compassion leaders have praised the partnership with CCU as a groundbreaking model for future college and university engagement.
Looking ahead, CCU is prayerfully focused on reopening a medical clinic on the Compassion site that currently sits unused due to the absence of a full-time doctor. The clinic — originally built by the local church — once served as a vital healthcare resource in a community where hospitals are often inaccessible. CCU’s hope is to help restore its operations and provide consistent medical care for families in need.
“This partnership goes beyond service trips,” said Campus Pastor Paul Faust. “It’s about cultivating relationships, mutual growth, and living out the Gospel in tangible ways.”
About CCU2theWorld
CCU2theWorld is Colorado Christian University’s global missions and outreach initiative, equipping students to impact the world with grace and truth. Through international trips and service experiences, students engage in Gospel-centered ministry, build cross-cultural relationships, and grow in spiritual maturity while reflecting Christ’s love in practical and transformative ways.
About Colorado Christian University
Colorado Christian University, founded in 1914, is the premier Christian university in the Rocky Mountain region. Located in Lakewood, Colorado, CCU provides Christ-centered higher education equipping students to impact the world with grace and truth. With a mission of cultivating the mind without compromising the heart, CCU integrates biblical truth with academic excellence. Students are prepared to lead with moral clarity, spiritual depth, and professional competence across a variety of vocations and callings.