At Timothy Christian School, it is our mission to teach our students to think critically, live biblically, and lead courageously. Community service encompasses these values; therefore, our students are provided with opportunities to serve. Each year our students participate in a specific community outreach. This past year the sophomores had the opportunity to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Groups consisting of six-seven students and up to three chaperones went to a construction site in Perth Amboy on six Thursdays from February through April.
Now as juniors, the project has been completed and Timothy Christian School was invited to be a part of a special ceremony in recognition of all the hard work and dedication that went into building the homes. On Wednesday, November 13, the students who participated in the build last year* boarded the bus and drove to 361 Inslee Street & 362 Garretson Avenue in Perth Amboy, NJ. They listened to the ceremony as the two families were honored by the community leaders.
There were several news stations covering the event that day, with many pictures taken and interviews given. Alyssa Marino represented the junior class as she shared her experience on the build, as she was interviewed by reporters. You can read her quotes in the PIX 11 article and the ABC 7 NY article where she is featured.
The Greater Middlesex & Morris Habitat for Humanity has been instrumental in helping local families with homes. Their website describes their impact on the community:
“Since 1985, Morris Habitat has served more than 1000 families through building 188 local homes, preserving 431 homes for low-income and senior residents, and helping 373 families with housing solutions worldwide. We have engaged more than 150,000 volunteers for our various programs.
Accomplishments for the Greater Plainfield & Middlesex County affiliate include building 47 local homes and serving more than 106 families through its homeownership, repair, and international homebuilding programs since 1989.”
Dean Rodriguez played a key role in coordinating the students’ efforts to work with Habitat for Humanity. “We are proud to have contributed to the Veterans Build Week initiative, which has transformed these houses into beautiful homes for U.S. Army Veteran Mylcaryz, Hilton, and their family, and Maximina, Juan, and their family,” said Dean Rodriguez. The dedication of these homes marked the completion of a meaningful journey for the students on this Habitat for Humanity project.
This year’s sophomore service project is with City Relief. The first nine students went on December 13th. They drove to the City Relief base in Elizabeth, NJ where they made soup, hot chocolate, and coffee. Then they packaged it in containers and drove into New York City to serve to members of the homeless community there.
Sophomore Esther Adu-Mensah shared her experience serving. Her favorite part was standing on a ladder to stir the soup they were making at the headquarters. As a part of the first group, Esther gave sound advice to her classmates going after her, “you have to have a good attitude about it, because if you go with a good attitude then you’re going to enjoy it.”
Esther also shared that the day was emotional at times. Aaron Blanco agreed as he told the story of serving a woman who gave them a bracelet. “She had the sweetest voice ever. She had no money and was homeless, but she still kept her kindness and that’s what God does for us. It pierced my heart to see it; it meant so much.”
The next opportunity for our sophomores to serve at City Relief will be on January 17th. We are proud of our students and their heartfelt service to their community. As they serve others they are thinking critically, living biblically, and leading courageously.
*Christabel Adu-Mensah, Kevin Bryant, Jude Chaplin, Aaron Da Costa, Preston Debbarma, Luke Di Fiore, Victoria Fajardo, Valeria Gomez, Nicole Gonzalez, Mariano Grino, Austin Huber, Nathan Kelly, Lacey King, Fabian Lamothe-Goda, Joseph Landis, Taylor Leary, Preston Marfo, Alyssa Marino, Julia McInerney, Leah McNulty, Elisha Mena, Sammy Mercado, Ava Osterberg, Kathryn Rojas, Rebecca Saleh, Aadi Shrestha, Jeremiah Sleman, Anthony Snyder, Christopher Solomine, Kara Spivey, Sam Stuhl, John Thiero, Betsabe Torres, Alexandra Trejo, and Praket Tsappidi