“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored. Just as water reflects the face, so one human heart reflects another.” Proverbs 27:17-19
What changes kids’ lives? What pulls them out of a series of poor choices, lack of confidence, and changes their outlook on their own future? A community of love and support changes them; a community that expects them to try and succeed, not to fail and quit.
I love the after school mission programs we support at St. Luke’s. We tutor kids in the Rancho Village neighborhood near the Asbury Campus, we teach music to children at El Sistema near the Downtown Campus, and we teach art at Studio 222 at the Downtown Campus. These programs are making a direct impact on the youth in our community. Interviews with students of these programs show how their self-worth and personal goals were expanded because of these programs. They hold their heads high and speak with such confidence! Check out this YouTube video to hear for yourself!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fNOA3D913E
“I think their takeaway is that THEY CAN. If they can remember that THEY CAN, regardless of what is ahead of them or what they are doing, if they can just remember I CAN then they have taken something away from this that is beyond whatever we can dream.” – El Sistema’s Dr. Mike Raiber after they performed at an OU football game halftime show.
I want to ask you to take time to consider volunteering or giving a financial contribution to one of these missions. Together we can do more for our church and our community. What you do matters. It matters to these kids, and it changes the face of Oklahoma City. It warms my heart knowing how powerful we are when we work together for common goals.
Logan Fish, Edmond Campus of Director of Hospitality
