Building Relationships
We have had a great start to the new 2023/4 school year with our families, kids, and volunteers at LHCC!
As I have been reflecting on the summer and how to make this school year successful for everyone, the word “relationships” has been been at the forefront of my mind.
Each Tuesday and Thursday families, volunteers, and community partners keep coming back because of the relationships they have built with one another. Of course, they come for tutoring, exercise, to learn about new things, etc., but they come to see their friends, who feel more like family now. There have been numerous examples of how God has brought people together in just the past month and a half, but I would like to highlight just a few.
Our parents have been focusing on teambuilding and building comradery with one another since last year. Our Parent Outreach Lead, Ana Robles, created “teams” within our big group of parents. This has allowed the moms to get to know different women on a different level, work together to help programs run more smoothly, and to help make decisions and plan events. They have been given the opportunity to become leaders and learn more about one another. In just the past couple of weeks we have witnessed Moms come together for those who have lost their parents and not been able to say goodbye, comfort those with sick relatives or family heartache, and pray for another by doing weekly prayer requests. It has been a beautiful thing to witness and watch these families depend and lean on one another.
The other main relationships formed at LHCC are between kids and volunteers. At the beginning of August it was looking like we would have more kids than volunteers, but we have had at least 5-8 new volunteers start with us this school year. Some found us through the internet or friends, but watching them build relationships so quickly with the kids is quite refreshing. A group of volunteers have taken the lead on planning and leading devotions for our kids before tutoring on Tuesdays and that has been one of the biggest blessings. It is a tough job to do and all of these volunteers have such a gift for sharing the Gospel and working with kids. They have started lessons on “The Fruit of the Spirit” and we can’t wait to see what comes from this. Other volunteers have stepped up with ideas of programs for our kids and have such creativity on how to help them inside and outside of LHCC. In just the past couple of weeks, volunteers have attended meetings at school with parents, went to kids sporting events, invited kids to do social activities outside of LHCC, and helped support families in need.
In the midst of the chaos of life, all of these people choose to keep coming back each week for different reasons, but I truly believe that the one reason they all have in common is the relationships they have built with others at LHCC. We are so grateful to witness this each week, we are truly blessed!
Blessings,
Meghan Miller
