Blog

I looked around the cafeteria of A. Montoya Elementary at the Christmas Cheer party and was overcome by God’s grace. All around me were the sounds of laughter and chatting and music.

Mountain Christian Church has been providing winter food boxes to families at A. Montoya for eight years. The first year there were nine families that received the food. The effort has grown as the needs have gotten bigger. This year we served 26 families and provided over 3,400 meals.

And with that huge undertaking comes tremendous opportunity to serve and work together.

Last year the Shine Core Team made a conscious decision to turn the winter food box distribution into an opportunity for community – to both work together as a church body and to create an event that invited fellowship to the families we serve. There is a reason we encourage Bible studies and small groups to join together to provide the food for a box – it builds community. We even had a small group from another church want to get involved, and they provided the food for a family.

And we wanted to provide a way to visit with the families receiving the food – and thus the Christmas Cheer party was born. Instead of just a drive-thru to get their food boxes (thank you, Covid), we hosted a party where the families were invited to come and decorate cookies, make an ornament, pick a toy, get their face painted, play some games, eat breakfast, get their picture made in the photo booth, all while a live band played.

And this year it was so beautiful. Over 50 MCC folks showed up to have conversations, play games, engage with the children and let the parents know they are doing a great job. I looked around the room and I saw kids having so much fun they didn’t want to leave. I saw families come dressed in their Christmas finery, because they knew it was a special event. I saw families serving together – as our youth worked hard carrying boxes to cars and men had the opportunity to encourage other dads and let them know, we all go through hard things. I saw A. Montoya staff come in on their weekend because they knew it was such a special event and they wanted to serve.

Through all of it, I saw the Lord glorified through food boxes and smiles and fellowship as we served together. What a blessing to see the body of Christ at work. It couldn’t have been done without the enormous effort of so many and the opportunity God gave to us. I know we were blessed as much as the A. Montoya families.

It was early March, 2023 when I reached out to Marcy Bryant about tutoring students through the MCC Shine program at A. Montoya in the fall. I knew the background check process took time and I wanted to be ready for the new school year.

Marcy introduced me to Felisa Palfery, who immediately started the ball rolling. When I was midway through the process, an urgent request arrived for a reading tutor for a third grader to start as soon as possible. Then, just before my clearance was approved, we received an urgent request for a math tutor for a third grader.

And so it was that I found myself in early April tutoring two third grade students. And the blessings poured in. First, I met the two caring and talented front desk staff who all day juggle scores of tasks and who inspired me with their kindness and devotion to everyone in the school. Next, I met the school counselor, whose outpouring of love for the students shines like a beacon. I was touched by so many that I met and got to know at the school - the students I tutored, their teachers, and many other school staff.

Everyone at the school expressed sincere gratitude for my service. However, for me, the abundant gifts I received surpassed anything I could imagine. The gift of relationships with so many. The gift of witnessing the growing confidence and skills of a student. The gift of creating a safe space for a student to share about the death of a beloved pet. The gift of living God's will for me. The gift of being inspired by the many who go above and beyond for the school. The gift of being challenged and developing my skills. The gift of engaging with students, teachers, staff, fellow tutors, and the exceptional members of the Shine Core Team at MCC.

Not all of my experiences were easy or as expected. One day, a student disappeared as we were walking back to the classroom. I had to confess to the school counselor that I had lost my student and waited for her to be found. I then was able to witness and learn from the school counselors who firmly handled the situation with kindness and compassion.

As I was finishing tutoring this past school year, I told my fifth grade student that the following week would be our last session together. “Noooo!” he responded. Certain he was disappointed that we would be unable to finish the exciting book we were reading, I assured him that he could keep the book after our last session. When he told me he had other books he was already reading, I asked him what made him sad that our sessions were coming to an end. “Not seeing you every week.”

I have no words for the beauty of God's blessings.

* * *

If you’d like to experience the blessings of serving with Shine, talk to Wendy Erickson or Marcy Bryant.

This mission trip requires no money, has a short travel distance, is blessed by any amount of time God has granted in your schedule and offers an opportunity of experiencing pure joy in seeing God glorified!  

You will have the opportunity to share God’s love while feeding the hungry, sharing the workload with the weary, teaching practical lessons, using your skills and abilities and learning new ones. You will share in providing work from weed pulling, painting, cooking and cleaning, to hearing life stories, praying and fellowshipping with other believers, and learning of God’s work in the hearts of unbelievers. You will pray, laugh and cry and thank God for His provision and love. It is hard work, but people are worth it! Come see how God has gone ahead of us and is already at work in our community!

You will be working in a very secular environment that God has called this church body to serve. You will want prayer partners to support you and to pray with you for the wonderful people you will meet and the challenges they face.

You will be humbled and broken and rejuvenated and so very, very blessed.  

Are you excited? Are you willing to roll up your shirtsleeves and jump in to help? Are you willing to follow God’s leading and come join a few of your fellow church members to make a huge difference in the lives of many?  

If I’ve caught your attention and God is putting it on your heart to go on a mission trip, don’t pack your suitcase, just give me or one of my fellow mission workers a call. I will be happy to share a cup of coffee and clue you in on this great mission opportunity at A. Montoya Elementary School through Shine, an APS sanctioned school/church partnership meeting the various needs of individual schools citywide. Come see all that God has and can accomplish in this wonderful school through families, students and staff.  Contact us now!