Happy 4th of July!! We hope you and your family are able to celebrate safely!
Ale and I are really excited to see what the second half of the year will bring and want to share a little bit of what we are praying for. If we could sum it up in one word, it would be relationships. Ale was able to meet with students we have been supporting through SE, mentoring, scholarship research, or test prep this week. Check out the group below; you should recognize a few!
Ale had the chance to hang out with these young adults and talk about life. The best part is that this came together because of their own initiative! They asked Ale if they were all going to meet together. Ale and her mom, Deysy, made crepes, while Alejandra Ponce, who will be a sophomore at Moody Bible College this year, had the opportunity to share her experiences being away from home and studying. This was very encouraging for those who are continuing their education after high school. These are not even all of the students we are planning on supporting next year!
As Ale was sharing with me about the time, I think my favorite comment from the students was that they want to do this every year and that we will need to find a bigger meeting place over time!
Hearing Ale share how the students are excited and wanting to do this each year is exactly what we hoped would happen. Pray with us that we are able to continue to help foster that sense of ownership by those we help. One of the sayings I repeat to my students in my classroom is, "My goal is to equip you with the tools and skills so that you do not need me, but can do well even if I am gone." Hearing how well Alejandra, Besy, and Juan did their first year of college excites us, and we are learning how to better support them and the incoming freshmen.
You never know the impact you have on someone. Hearing what these students are saying is so encouraging to us, and we pray that it encourages you as well! Although Ale and I might be the founders of SE, we are just a small part of the equation. We cannot thank the work of our board members (Mike, Sullivan, and Taylor) enough! Also, we cannot thank YOU enough either. We are blown away by the support and prayers from you, so thank you.
If you want to know how to continue to support us, we have a few specific ways:
1. Pray
Pray that we will strive to seek God's will over our own, because if it doesn't come from God, it will not last. Pray with us to continue to be open to opportunities He is preparing for us.
2. Give
If you haven't considered giving to us, even on a small monthly basis, we ask that you consider doing so. A little adds up, even if it is just $5 a month! Click here to get started. Your giving enables us to send care packages to these students during the school year, help schools fund a computer lab, and even help students who need school supplies or technology for college obtain it!
3. Connect
Share with others that you might know who would be interested in supporting the mission of SE. Even if it is just someone who wants to read about what we are doing, forward this email to them or have them email us at office@sow-hope.org for ways to learn more about what we do.
4. Respond
If you are moved to make an impact on your community through what we do, do it! If you are unsure of how to implement what you want to do, pray to God. If you ask God for wisdom, He will give it generously (James 1:5). If you feel moved to support us in a new way, then we ask that you follow that call.
If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, please let us know! We love feedback and want to hear what you have to say, even if it is just to say hello! We pray that God blesses you and your family this holiday season and as the summer is halfway over here in Iowa. Stay safe, but we pray most of all that you glorify God in your actions. Go well!
Blessings,
Ale + Austin Hudson Reyes
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