Written by Meredith VanderHill
When you look at the rich history of Holland Christian, you can see its impact in our community and our world … but you don’t have to look far from home to see God’s disciples hard at work all around us:
I think of Christine Hoezee, Joanna’s first grade teacher: During the fall of our daughter, Joanna’s first grade year, Joanna had an emergency appendectomy one day before our family moved into a new home, and three weeks before we added twins to our family. With so many changes and concerns in our family, Miss Hoezee embraced Joanna and made her feel loved and cared for at school.
I think of Lydia Genzink, another HC parent who would bring Joanna home from school if the newborn twins were sleeping. I think of Emily Baker who knew I was having a hard time and made sure to park her van right next to me, in case I needed help. These saints go above and beyond–they may not be a quarterback in the NFL, but I know that they are on our team, and they are rooting my kids on.
Our family has a lot of connections to Holland Christian that enabled us to see and experience first hand how Holland Christian prepares its students for the world: My father-in-law, grandparents-in-law—perhaps even great-grandparents-in-law—and I are all alumni. My father and my grandfather-in-law both worked at Holland Christian when I was young—in fact they worked at the high school at the same time, and knew each other! From our own experiences, we believed that Holland Christian would be the best start for our children, too.
The age of the “stay-at-home-parent” seems to be dissolving as the economics of two incomes is becoming necessary for many families. This could mean that the only way you see other parents is passing them in the carpool lane. But this makes me appreciate even more the invitations for the whole family to experience Holland Christian together: Some formal events like the Homecoming football game, and “Meet the Teacher” night help, but just being present at school pick-up and drop off to chat with other parents is a great way to connect as well. We get the opportunity to raise our kids together, and so many times I have had to lean on the other parents for support or input. It’s nice to know I have a few numbers in my phone that I can text if I need someone to help pick up my kids from school, or wonder if I missed a handout about something. It takes a community to raise a child, and being vulnerable and asking for help is hard, but the people surrounding Holland Christian know how to love and care for others well.
Obviously our children are learning so much and growing in their knowledge of the Bible and spiritual maturity, but one time sticks out in my memory with my first born: I asked our oldest daughter to pray for our meal—she was in kindergarten at the time—and the way that she started to pray surprised me! I had not taught her how to pray this way. I realized then how much my daughter was absorbing from her teachers at school, including how to pray and talk to God. Christian education isn’t simply about learning about the Bible and being able to recite psalms, although knowing the Bible is an important foundation for our faith, but it’s about having people who have the same faith and values as me pour into my children in ways that I am not able to do. Everyone’s journey is so different, and God reveals himself to each of us as we need him. Joanna has a deeper understanding of who God is because her teachers are sharing with her the ways God reveals himself to them everyday!