Skip to content

CitiIMPACT

One Tiny Child, One Big Mission: Keep “Hope ” Alive

http://eepurl.com/bhtKUP:  Read  and sign up to our email subscriber list.


Lessons Taught By One Small Team & One Tiny Child

Meet Zoey, a  tiny yet tenacious, soon to be 13 year old. What Zoey lacks in stature she makes up for in personality, attitude, determination, and grit.  Don’t tell this girl she can’t do something!  Zoey was the first female goalie on her youth hockey team and at all of 50 pounds has been recruited for the football team next year!  Zoey also survived the May 2013 tornado that leveled her school and took the lives of seven children.  At that time she was 11, just over 40 pounds, and well under 4 foot.  Alex, a sweet classmate, over three times her size, protected her as the walls fell down upon them. (Little did they know that Alex would lose his younger brother, Christopher, that day.) Trapped in the darkness, Zoey was the only one of about 10 in their area that could move. She crawled through the debris helping to free students and teachers alike until she was the only one left.  Zoey did sustain some injuries that day, although most could not be seen.  Then she found “Hope” after the tornado  . . . literally a lost dog she named Hope, who has become her best friend and brought her much hope and healing.

Many of our teams have had the pleasure to meet Zoey as she and her family have found healing in giving back and serving alongside others.  This past week though, one small team of just four college students from San Diego had a unique experience.Due to their small size they were able to serve intimately in the homes of some of the families who lost children.  Rio, the team leader shared that they mostly listened, laughed . . . and cried. They also hosted a dinner for those families still grieving so deeply.  Zoey was there to help with the preparations!

Lisa, Zoey’s mom, shared with us that Zoey had been worried sick about Hope.  They had no fence at their rental (lost home in tornado as well) and a  neighbor was threatening to shoot Hope if she came on their property again.  So our little team of four (3 girls!) dug and installed fence posts to keep Hope alive and well. Lisa sent this message, ” I can’t even begin to tell you how much this meant to us. I started crying when I was thanking them. We all had tears in our eyes. Zoey is sooo happy she doesn’t have to worry about her baby Hope.”

Maybe you have struggled with thinking you are “too small” to make a difference. Never underestimate what God can do in and through you, for when you are weak His power is made perfect. You too, can keep HOPE alive.

We are signing up teams now for spring and summer.

« Previous Post

Open Positions: Are You The One?

Next Post »

Teams Needed for Rebuilds Now