Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Deonarain, Harvard Class of 2023
by erin conner, writer and communications associate
"Something holy was there," said Sarah Deonarain about her first visit to Christian Union's Leadership Lecture Series at Harvard called Doxa. "Peaceful, genuine communities coming together to worship God in the middle of campus created a beautiful space… something I had not experienced before." Deonarain grew very attached to this space over her undergraduate career at Harvard.
Her journey to how she got to Christian Union testifies to the fact that God provides us with the people, places, and things we need to grow close to Him if we are willing to see and say "yes." Deonarain admits at first she didn't, saying "no" several times to an invitation to come and experience Christian community. Like many students, she admitted to being swept up in the busyness of the culture, but when change was needed, she said yes to a persistent and faith-filled friend who warmly invited her time and time again.
In Christian Union's Leadership Lectures and Bible Courses during her undergraduate career, she met the majority of her friends and came to make a conscious decision to put her faith first, to belong to church, to be baptized while in college, and to later take a leadership role in Doxa.
Deonarain received a fellowship after college to serve in Santiago, Chile, the country's political and cultural hub, volunteering to do humanitarian work through the UN. Following this life-giving experience, she moved to the US's hub for social impact to continue working: Washington DC. Here, she is engaged in development work that creates social impact through advising and research. God has placed her at Harvard and then in the hearts of two countries to learn, to love, and to lead. Regardless of where she is, she carries the presence of God with her, working and leading with humility and grace. 
Christian Union supported her through her post-graduate transition from the US to South America and back. "It was a year of learning and adjusting, but when Christine Foster, the director of mentoring at Christian Union, reached out while I was in Chile, I accepted the support and joined the CU mentorship program, which helped me, in part, set up housing in DC in advance.”
Christine Foster shared, "Sarah is passionate about seeking God in her workplace and in her community, and she is clearly a leader. After graduation, Christian Union set her up with a mentor to walk beside her and get her connected as she began her life in DC. Her mentor guided her as she looked for a neighborhood to live in and also as she sought the right church. We pray this helped support her and make her transition easier."
In addition to providing her with support through the mentorship program, Deonarain shared, "The Seeking God Bible course and online lectures that God provided me with through Christian Union while I was a student at Harvard reoriented my entire outlook on life; it redirected my ambitions for the Lord, so that I want to spend my life surrendering and searching for what He has for me… to figure out how to bless our cities and churches and multiply our impact."
She shared that the ministry fellows at Christian Union played a large role in this reorientation of her life; she would like to thank all the people in Christian Union who provided for so much of her transformation and growth.
With gentleness and wisdom, Deonarain reflected, "People need to understand how vital community is. The need for community hits you once you graduate and can not be emphasized enough. Community is so essential to our spiritual lives–it matters to have this network of people who understand your background and experiences and share in your pursuits."
Deonarain is joining with other CU alumni and friends to contribute to a chapter of Christian Union Cities in Washington, DC–a like-minded community of people seeking after all that God has for them and seeking to bless their city through His transformative power and love.
If you live in the DC area and are interested in learning more about this CU Cities' community, please email GraceAnn.Arvey@ChristianUnion.org
If you live in the New York City area and are interested in learning more about this CU Cities' community, please email Andy.Woodard@ChristianUnion.org
