When The World Came To A Stop, Love Kept Moving
\In a time of unexpected turmoil, By The Hand remains committed to our communities. Our mission to provide our students with abundant life has become more important than ever before. No amount of uncertainty or chaos can slow us down.
We believe God allowed By The Hand to be poised and ready for such a time as this. As we look back on the past few months, we are deeply encouraged by your outpouring of love and care. In this time of critical need you have provided more than resources and supplies, you have given hope. The following stories have been made possible because love kept moving.
A BRIDGE OF HOPE
Sparkle lives up to her name. Easily. As COVID-19 settled over the city of Chicago, Sparkle’s role at By The Hand came to a halt. So she asked herself, “If I can’t do my job, what can I do?” As days passed, it became clear: Sparkle was called to be a bridge. Zigzagging across Chicagoland to pick up boxes of food and other supplies from donors and deliver them to families. “I just think of myself as a bridge, a connection point, between those who are blessed to serve and those who are blessed to receive.”
Sparkle is also a relational bridge between people when it’s needed. Like when she listened and helped Iris and her grandmother, Ms. Hattie, find mutual respect and compassion for their unique challenges during quarantine. Sparkle’s willingness to slow down and hear the whole story meant she could find a solution that served everyone.
CHANGED TO BRING CHANGE
When the stay-at-home order had just started, Yasenia opened her weekly curriculum to see the story of Moses and the tent of meeting, “Right then I smiled, because I knew God had a plan.” She taught that when Moses wanted to talk with God, he would go to his tent of meeting. “I invited kids to use sheets or blankets or cushions, and create their own tent of meeting. And just like Moses, they could talk to God like a friend.”
Yasenia continued, “It was a great way to introduce the kids to the power of prayer. That same power is for us.” She paused, before adding, ”I don’t want them to feel powerless.” Yasenia connects to their stories, because they are her stories, too. She has faced what they are facing. She knows powerlessness. But through Christ, she also knows hope. This is the precious gift she has to offer.
A SALUTATORIAN GETS
HIS MOMENT TO SHINE
When the governor called off all in-person school events for the remainder of the school year, graduation was cancelled. By The Hand’s eighth-graders and twelfth-graders were crushed. “Honestly, it pierced my heart to hear their disappointment,” Evan said of his eighth-graders. “They’re calling me saying, ‘I’ve worked so hard! This isn’t fair!’ And they’re right.” Rebecca’s twelfth-graders were feeling that same despair.
Rebecca didn’t want this global interruption to interrupt her students’ motivation. Which is why both she and Evan offered extra support to students. Evan knew with some encouragement, kids could finish strong. Like Darion, an eighth-grader and salutatorian of his class. And as students officially graduated, By The Hand Club hosted drive-by graduation parties! Yard signs were made and gift bags were put together to surprise students and celebrate their milestone. The kids are learning their stories—individually and as a group of students rising up—are bigger than the circumstances life throws at them.
“One of the things that sustained me in this season is my ability to serve. I thank God for that.”
MOVING MOUNTAINS,
ONE COMPUTER AT A TIME
Technology became its own character in the story of COVID-19. In order to keep kids moving forward, technology was a mountain that had to be moved. Sarah, Amber and Arielle weren’t going to let lack of access to working computers and reliable Internet stop kids from their schoolwork. They found and distributed every refurbished computer they could get their hands on. And it’s a good thing they did, because a tenacious fourth-grader named NiQuear wasn’t about to take no for an answer...
NiQuear called her team leader Myra, who recalled, “NiQuear said she needed a computer to do her work. She was very motivated.” Next, NiQuear needed help getting the Internet set up. “On one afternoon, I spent more than five hours on the phone with Comcast to get NiQuear’s Wi-Fi set up remotely.” Myra admits, “It was a huge investment of time. But the payoff was totally worth it! NiQuear has had perfect attendance and hasn’t missed any assignments. She’s making great progress in her reading, too. She’s doing it.” Technology, which seemed like an immovable mountain, has actually become a tool to stay connected.
NEVER OUT OF REACH
Bethany watched COVID-19 force most of the country to shut down. She knew By The Hand’s college students and alumni wouldn’t go untouched. She and her team began conducting check-ins and found that though the specifics were varied, the fear and uncertainty were universal. Like for Kanesha, a college student studying and working in Virginia. She quickly felt the strain. She lost her job and school closed. Add to that, the feeling of loneliness from being far from family. But By The Hand, through financial help and motivation, reminded Kanesha that she wasn’t alone. Kanesha says, “They gave me encouraging words like ‘don’t panic’ and ‘keep going’ and ‘you can do this.’”
By The Hand Club also rallied around Huell, who at 26 unexpectedly became a single father. And on top of all this, Huell was furloughed from his job because of COVID-19. But his By The Hand Club community rushed in to surround Huell and baby Harmoni with countless essentials. These provisions will help during this heartbreaking season, but they are also tangible reminders that Huell and Harmoni belong to a community that shows up when the world falls apart.
SUPPORTING CHILDREN
BY SUPPORTING FAMILIES
During a crisis, kids are the most vulnerable. Especially when education is disrupted and the chance for normal, daily childhood activities vanishes. Yolanda, who oversees the By The Hand Club Emergency Care Fund, could see that caring for the children—mind, body and soul—might need to look different during this time. In this historic moment, the best way to serve kids was to provide extra care and support to families.
Yolanda started organizing fresh produce boxes and emergency care kit boxes to be delivered to families every week. They have also been able to help with rent and utilities when parents’ hours have been cut or jobs have been furloughed. Supporting the basic needs of families brings hope in hard situations and makes space for children to flourish.
EYES TO SEE
Martha, a reading specialist, wasn’t going to let COVID-19 stop the reading progress of her students. They had worked too hard. So Martha made and dropped off individual paper copies of their reading packets while the technology was sorted out. Eventually, she started consistent Zoom meetings with students, like Richard, a fourth-grader.
Then, during one of their Zoom calls, Martha noticed Richard’s glasses were broken. Martha knew Jaclyn at By The Hand could help order new glasses for Richard. When Martha stopped by to pick up the prescription release form, she noticed Richard’s mom’s glasses were broken, too. “Danielle works from home now, all day on Zoom calls. So I threw it out there, ‘Danielle, would it help if we could get new glasses for you, too?” Just a few short weeks later, both Richard and Danielle were excited to receive brand new pairs of glasses to help them see, read and work. A beautiful picture of love in action.
When The World Came To A Stop, Love Kept Moving
By The Hand is privileged to be part of God’s movement forward for our students. By God’s grace and your relentless generosity, we have been able to jump into action to address the evolving needs of our students and their families.The transformation of lives—mind, body and soul—won’t be stopped, not even by a global crisis.
FULL STORIES AND REPORT