Dear Casa Chiri Family,
Spring is in the air and I can hardly believe that it is March once again here in Chirilagua. The budding trees, the tulips sneaking out of the ground and the fields of buttercup daffodils spotting the GW Parkway remind me that the Cherry blossoms are just around the corner. The alley ways and any free patch of grass (or muddy field) in the neighborhood begins bustling with activity driven by soccer fever. Spring is one of my favorite things about Northern Virginia.
Along with spring comes Spring breakers! Which means a lot of additional help and an opportunity to challenge these young minds to look for ways in their every day lives and communities to “love their neighbors as themselves.” Thanks to our partnerships with InterVarsity and Center for Student Mission, we hosted our first 60 last week and expect 90 more over the next two weeks. They are a wonderful reminder of the partnerships and relationships which have been built over the past five years and God’s wonderful hand of provision for this ministry.
The more time we spend with the Middle School students, the more we are reminded that Middle School is just a hard time in life, period. Daily we see the many pressures that are pressing in on our students from all sides and it is a wonder that they don’t just implode. Just like Spring, it is a time of emergence in life when these young people are awkwardly trying to figure out who they are and who God created them to be. Please pray for our students as they try to avoid fights at school and in the neighborhood and refrain from indulging in a plethora of risky behaviors which are readily available. Please also be in prayer for a new Middle School Director and the start of our Middle School program to help usher our students through a difficult season in life.
Additionally, we are asking all of our supporters to be on the look out for a New Kids Club Director. We are looking to hire someone in May of this year who is bi-lingual, loves elementary students, has experience in education and is passionate about cross-cultural geographically focused urban ministry.
Just as spring reminds us of a newness and restoration after the cold restful winter, we look forward to the newness of change and perspective our new programs and staff members will bring in the coming year. With anticipation we await the fruit that will come out of these seasons of resting and emergence.
Blessings,
Dawnielle