In January, I opened up my quarterly update by writing, “the 2019-20 school year has been a year like no other.” That statement has become even more profound over the course of the last 3 months thanks to COVID-19. Despite our current circumstances, we’re choosing to remain hopeful and grounded in the glorious name of Jesus.

Over the last several weeks, I have been looking to Jesus as an example to follow during this time of unprecedented challenge. As a young-ish leader, I’ve never experienced this level of demand on my personal leadership and I’ve never felt more responsible for our work. In light of the demands and that search, I’ve been asking the following questions: 

• How did Jesus respond when faced with crisis? What did he do? How did he behave?

• How did Jesus care for people? What did he value? How did he communicate that value?

JESUS’ EXAMPLE

The more I reflect on the life of Jesus, the more I realize that his entire life was a response to crisis. He responded to a broken world by humbling himself to become human. As the Gospel of John describes, “The Word [Jesus] became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” He got his hands dirty and was literally born into a muddy, itchy, stinky stable. Jesus experienced everything we experience. He tested boundaries as a child, went through puberty, developed teaching, leadership, and practical skills, and prepared himself for his mission. When his ministry started, the world was still in crisis mode and he was ready to respond. So, what did that response look like?

Jesus went public with his faith. He recruited a band of misfit followers and they spent time with people in need. He acted courageously and compassionately. He fought for justice and stood up for the oppressed. He drew near to God and spent hours in prayer. He fed the hungry and gave generously to those in need. He made personal sacrifices, like being constantly on the move without a roof over his head. 

Jesus’ love for people drove every decision he made. He valued his relationship with God the Father and his relationship with you and me above everything else. I’ll say it again: this love drove every action, every decision, and every response. Jesus was always ready for interruptions. His heart broke for those going through hardship. He wept with those who were sad and shared truth and direction with those who were spiritually confused. He confronted those who had lost their way and stood up to those with evil intentions. Ultimately, he gave up his life for a world and a people in need. He is a crisis management expert and the perfect example of love.

SETTING PRIORITIES

At One 17, we strive to follow the example of Christ in everything we do. We don’t get it right every time, but we’re asking God for increased wisdom and favor as we respond to COVID-19. This crisis, this global pandemic that no one is immune to (literally and figuratively), is an opportunity to show the world Jesus’ love and compassion. Our response to COVID-19 is rapidly changing, but the last couple of weeks have highlighted three priorities.

Prayer

On March 30th, we increased our intentionality around this priority by launching a 40 day prayer campaign. We’re actively seeking the Lord’s wisdom, protection, and provision during this time. Dozens of people have joined us as prayer warriors and we’re so thankful.

Relationships

One 17 is a beautifully diverse tribe of people on mission together. Whether you’re an international staff member or a stateside donor, we care about you and how you’re experiencing these uncertain times. We are with you and will be reaching out in several different ways as we traverse this challenge together. If you need help in any way right now, please reach out. 

Mission

Our international staff and students are the reason for our existence. We launched in 2011 after learning stories of vulnerable children being left behind and will not turn away from that call no matter what. We are deeply committed to caring for our students’ basic needs and sustaining international staff salaries. These two things are the top priority for our organization during these uncertain times. 

CURRENT ACTION

Moving forward, our leadership team is taking bold action as we mitigate risk, strive to preserve our core operations, and live more deeply into our core values. More tangibly, our organization proactively implemented a spending freeze on nonessential expenses starting March 16th. This was not an immediate need, but a protective measure. Internationally, we are relying on our indigenous leadership teams to guide our work forward. Our team in Haiti is ready to launch a feeding program when the need arises in the community and our team in Cambodia is preparing for school to open back up when it’s safe to do so.

JOIN THE FIGHT

As we continue to navigate these challenging times, we want to encourage you to stay in the fight with our organization. Thank you for your steadfast generosity and advocacy as prayer warriors. We are so thankful for your faithfulness and sacrifice. If you feel compelled to invest more deeply in hope through education, consider taking action in one of three ways!

Invest

Whether you give $10 or $100 per month, your support will help sustain our work in Haiti and Cambodia during this challenging time!