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Kids Hope USA Mentoring Program
Christian Assembly’s Kids Hope USA mentoring program just finished our 2nd year of partnering with Eagle Rock Elementary. The program has grown from 17 children to 35 in the last year. This means 35 lucky mentors from the congregation met weekly with a child from Eagle Rock Elementary this school year. There are 35 stories we can tell about how God is moving in these relationships, but we’d like to share just one…about an inspiring little Kindergartener named Adam.
As an infant, Adam was diagnosed with Physical Failure to Thrive and periodically force fed via an IV solution for the first 4 1/2 years of his life. He has Idiopathic Short Stature (requiring painful growth hormone shots each day), Restless Leg Syndrome (which impairs his ability to achieve REM sleep), Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
Adam is treated by a variety of medical and psychiatric personnel. He endures his time with these specialists but the one person he looks forward to spending time with each week is Grace, his KIDS HOPE USA mentor. He calls her his "first friend" and "his very own best friend." With Grace, he has learned to love books and enjoys reading advanced materials on insects, physical science, biology, physiology and other books about animals. Although he is Autistic, the characteristics dramatically decrease when he is with Grace and his vocabulary has increased well beyond his peers and older classmates.
In his father's words, "None of the other costly interventions have been able to reach my son's heart and mind. With KIDS HOPE he feels heard and understood."
The president of Kids Hope, in response to hearing this story said, “We have been deeply moved by Adam's story as related by his dad. It is at once an awesome tribute to the life-changing power of one-to-one relationships and a reminder that ALL children can learn and grow...if they are loved and nurtured. What we are about here is so much bigger than we are. Amazing Grace!” 
Adam’s mentor, Grace, also has been impacted by working with Adam. She writes to CA’s director, “Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity you gave me. God put it in your heart to match Adam and me and it was the perfect match! Seeing what he goes through each day—and yet he is so happy—has helped me put my life in perspective. I see my daily struggles differently know that I know what Adam goes through.
We have movie dates and zoo dates planned with Adams family, and I can't wait to spend lots of time with him during the summer.
This was unequivocally a predestined match by God. Thank you for being the vessel.”
Isn’t it just like our God to use a person named Grace to reach and bless the sons and daughters of Adam? Are you interested in being a part of the Kids Hope team and allowing God to use you in the life of a child at Eagle Rock Elementary?
There are 4 ways YOU can be involved in loving the city through Kids Hope: Mentor, Prayer Partner, Super Sub, & Events Team
- Mentor: Weekly commitment: Invest one hour in the life of a child! You will be interviewed, screened, trained, and paired with one “at-risk” child at Eagle Rock Elementary. This is a 9 month (one school year) commitment.
- Prayer Partner: Weekly commitment: pray for one mentor/child pairing. You have the option of becoming the child’s “Pen Pal” and writing back and forth throughout the school year.
- Substitute Mentor: Serve on an on call basis throughout the school year. Help maintain the consistency of the mentoring hour for children whose mentors are unable to make it (usually a scheduled absence)
- Events Team: Sign up to periodically serve (with your lifegroup or individually) at different events both at CA and at the school site (Christmas party, book fair, Earth Day, School Clean up Day, Awards Ceremony, etc).
Questions? Call 323.908.6109 or click here to email Sarah D
Log onto: www.caeaglerock.com/kidshope
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