We Broke Bread with Muslim Students

WE BROKE BREAD WITH MUSLIM STUDENTS - AND YOU CAN TOO

BY GABRIELLA SANDOVAL

On a Friday evening in late November 2025, two student groups at Regis University—Destino (Cru) and Muslim Student Association (MSA)—came together for something simple but meaningful: a shared meal. As co-president of Destino, I had the joy of helping host our first Friendsgiving with MSA, an event organized to bring Christian and Muslim students around the same table for food, fun, and real conversation.

My hope for the evening was to celebrate both Hispanic and Islamic cultures through the dishes we brought and to create space for genuine, heart-to-heart conversations. And that’s exactly what happened—with much of the conversation being surprisingly faith-focused. These moments matter deeply to me and to our Cru chapter. I love building relationships with people from different cultures, backgrounds, and faiths, because connection is the first step toward truly reaching and understanding one another.

Behind the Scenes: Collaboration and Planning

Even before Destino was officially approved as a club at Regis, I already had personal connections with MSA because of friends I’d made—friends from the same country I visited over the summer. Because of those relationships, this event had been in the works from the very start of the semester.

The only real concern on both sides was that, since we represent different faiths, there could be a conflict if we hosted an event together. The last thing any of us wanted was for good conversation to turn into a harmful debate. But once I emailed the MSA president, we connected right away on our hopes for the event, planned it together, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since.

As I was brainstorming an event that could bring people together with games, food, and conversation, it clicked—we could do something fun and festive for the holiday season. Regis has a process for approving club events, so the MSA president and I split up the tasks we needed to submit. After a lot of communication and coordination, it came together smoothly.

We also talked about how to include a short faith-teaching moment so that both groups feel seen and represented. We landed on the idea of sharing about the significance of bread in both Christianity and Islam. Our goal was to respect one another’s boundaries while still giving space for each side to share their beliefs and values openly. Before the event, I told my Destino members they didn’t need to do anything extra—just be attentive, intentional, and mindful about the way they share their faith with our friends from MSA.

Before the event, I told members they didn’t need to do anything extra—just be attentive, intentional, and mindful about the way they share their faith.

A Meaningful Exchange of Faith and Culture

Our event had a great turnout. Some people popped in and out, while others stayed the whole time to talk and play Uno. We had an even mix of Destino and MSA students, so no one group dominated the room. About halfway through, I introduced our faith-teaching moment by sharing the significance of bread in Christianity—how Jesus used bread to symbolize his body, how he fed thousands with five loaves, and how he calls himself the “Bread of Life,” our source of spiritual nourishment.

A member of the MSA followed by explaining how bread is honored in the Quran and how, just as God sustains life, bread sustains the human body. Everyone seemed open and genuinely interested in what both sides shared. I left feeling encouraged and inspired to keep sharing my faith, because the environment was so respectful and reciprocal. At a few points the conversation started to drift toward debate, but that’s when it was important to gently reroute things so the dialogue stayed fruitful.

From my experience with working with members of MSA, I’ve learned that not all Muslims hold the exact same beliefs or follow Islamic teachings in the same way. It’s important to recognize the different variety and individuality within the Muslim community. I genuinely enjoy having spiritual conversations with my friends in MSA because I get to learn from them while also having the chance to share my own faith and show love in the process.

I’ve learned that not all Muslims hold the exact same beliefs or follow Islamic teachings in the same way.

Tips for Hosting Your Own Event

A few key tips I’ve learned during this process are to trust the Holy Spirit for strength and encouragement, to create space for everyone to share, and to be slow to speak and quick to listen.

For others interested in planning a similar event, here are some additional tips:

Remember that just as Christians hold a variety of beliefs and perspectives, Muslims do too. Take time to learn each person’s unique views and experiences.
Be slow to speak and quick to listen. Give your Muslim peers space to share about their faith, and you’ll find they’re more open to hearing about yours.
Avoid overly complex or academic language. Keep your words simple and clear so your meaning comes through.
If a spiritual conversation starts to feel closed off or unfruitful—or starts drifting into debate—gently redirect it toward something more meaningful and constructive.
Look for natural points of connection between Islamic and Christian beliefs. Use phrases like, “What you said reminded me of this story in the Bible … ” or “Can I share a thought that came to mind while you were talking … ?”
Above all, remember the goal isn’t to force conversion or dismiss anyone’s beliefs, but to share the love of Christ.

This event was deeply meaningful to me because I truly love and appreciate my Muslim peers. I want to understand them better, and I want to share my faith with them. I want to encourage Cru leaders to step out in faith, to listen, to learn, and to build genuine relationships with their Muslim peers so we can grow in our understanding of the Muslim community around us. God can—and will—use Christians to reach out with love, respect, and humility. Both Christians and Muslims have so much to learn from one another, so let’s go and be the feet that bring the Good News to those who need to hear it.