Here I am, nestled in a corner of a low-key coffee shop - my laptop low on battery and my spirit low on hope. Emails offering help on everything from resume critiques to finding true love flow into my gmail continuously and regularly  throughout the days and nights. The search for employment has to come to an end sooner than later... My skill set has to match the description and requirements of SOME job here in Houston...


If I had engaged in a conversation with you a month back, I would have somehow managed to slip in a comment highlighting that I was at a true low in my life. I have been unemployed on several occasions over the last year. I have struggled to maintain particular friendships and relationships. I have not been on my a-game. Whoa is me... I have been weak. 


Thank goodness for 2 Corinthians 12:9 -  

Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

And praise God for that! Over the last month, I have come to show the strength within my weakness because the Lord has opened my eyes to a vision that can only be accomplished through His Will and for His glory. Before I share this vision with you, let me take you back a few years and walk you through some of the ministries that have brought me to this point in my life:


1. Teach for America
2. FORGE for Families
3. Young Life
4. Women's Refuge Group


1. Teach for America (June 2008 - May 2010)

"One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education." 

My blouse clung to my back as the warm wind unsuccessfully fanned the perspiration rolling down the side of my face. After riding in a yellow school bus for a 5 week crash course on learning how to teach...

I stepped into room 230 at Fonville Middle School to teach 7th grade math in the ghetto of North Houston. 

With the belief that my 280 students (and ALL children) can learn despite the 5 numbers that follow the city and state they live in...
I "Taught for America" 


Through my tenure teaching students that showed up to my class thirsty for knowledge yet hungry for food...
I became acutely sensitive to the fact that, for ALL children to have the opportunity to attain an excellent education, MANY children need additional resources, time, and love from a community that is committed to providing a safe, secure, and supportive environment. 


Our current public education system in the United States is not working. Something has to change.

2. FORGE for Families (2009 and 2010 Summers)

The mission of The FORGE for Families is to enrich the spiritual, educational, vocational, and leadership development of inner city families through Christ-centered mentoring, bringing transforming growth to Houston's Third Ward community.

Late December I found the City of Refuge, a congregation that would quickly take over my previously held views of the impact a church body can have. My Pastor approached me about an opportunity to grow personally and professionally... 
I came seeking how the church could serve me. I now ask myself how I can serve the church.

This desire to serve developed from taking summers off to taking an active role in a program that offers to serve the Least, the Lost, and the Left Behind through a local community development center...
I directed the Vocational Beginner School - a team of 8 young adults working to produce a 6-week “earning and learning” summer program for 10-15 year old urban students that provided supervised work projects in the community, classes on financial literacy and biblical work ethics taught by local businessmen and women, and inspirational field trips to local corporations.

After my first summer with the FORGE, I realized that my summer work week commitment to these families was only a short term solution and that wasn't enough... 
I purchased a house in the Third Ward because, as Jacqueline Novogratz said in The Blue Sweater, "A creeping cynicism sees inevitable in anyone who is always a visitor rather than someone with no choice but to live with the consequences of what he or she does."

3. Young Life (November 2010 - present)
Young Life is a Christian ministry that reaches out to middle school, high school, and college-aged kids in all 50 of the United States as well as more than 70 countries around the world. Young life is relational - they go where kids are in order to build friendships with them and earn the right to make a positive impact on their lives.

 

While in the classroom as a teacher, I was blessed with relationships with my students, but limited to the separation of church and state. As a non-profiteer, I was given lenience with talking about God, but did not see or fellowship with the youth more than once a week. Young life provided an avenue. Now...
I have the chance to go INTO schools and not only serve the students, but love them, and lead them. Lead them to follow Jesus, and lead them to lead others to follow Jesus.


Only knowing our Young Life students for a few weeks, I was one of the female volunteers that Shaniqua confided in when she decided to keep the baby that was forming in her stomach... 
I have come to realize that if your blood relatives do not stand by in times of tribulation, isn't it only appropriate that your brothers and sisters in Christ step in and remind you that He has plans for your future?

4. Women's Refuge Group (2010 - present)

God has blessed me with a women’s refuge group that has been unwaveringly loyal for accountability and support. These women LOVE me for who I am. These women PRAY for me. These women CHALLENGE me. 

We are currently in a book study titled “Radical” by David Platt where I have learned that our “American Dream”, dominated with ideas of self-advancement, self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-sufficiency… in other words, accepting that our greatest asset is in our own ability and our own strengths… is not necessarily Christian-like behavior.

But it is our responsibility, as the church, to lean on God and raise our children, 
and our neighborhoods, 
and our brothers and sisters in Christ,
and the Least, Lost and Left behind 
...with Christ as the cornerstone.
I want to challenge our church to be RADICAL in our Faith…

And this leads me to the vision that I am certain God has given me… Come August 18^th, I will be relocating to South Korea for the next two years to work at Korea International School, Jeju as a 6th grade science teacher. 

I want to spend the next 24 months learning the ins and outs of how successful and high achieving boarding schools run so that I can return to my earthly home here in Houston, with a purpose and a proposal to create a Christian Boarding School for inner-city students located within their own  community.

• Picture our children being able to engage in projects outside of the classroom because resources, such as internet, supplies, and a staff dedicated to them, are fully available 24/7…
• Picture our students getting to bed every night at a reasonable hour, with loving adults devoted to providing a safe and secure home environment, so that they are able to use all of that extra energy to go out and serve their neighborhoods…
• Picture the family members of our students enrolled in mandatory classes that focus on personal responsibility, educational excellence, and integrity through partnering community centers…
• Picture our Third Ward babies, being educated daily not only from text books, but from THE Book…

With that, I ask for prayers during this two year learning and growing journey. My hope is to go out as an ambassador for Christ, building relationships with all I come in contact with and working to make disciples of all nations.

Jeju or Bust~ Talk soon!
In Him, Sara