As we have just finished the “holiday
season” I pray that you all have been blessed from the Savior of
the World, Jesus, but also from friends, family and others around
you. If there is one thing that I took away as a little girl from my
parents is how to give back to our community. I could always eye my
parents giving extra food to the church food drive, helping serve at
a community function, or writing a check out of faith to a ministry
that they wanted to support. The actions of my parents was just a
small seed sown into my heart where a conviction was formed that I
wanted to always give back to my community and be a servant wherever
possible. An opportunity to give back in my community was given to
me the week before Christmas and I want to share it with you all
right now.
In the words of the song Do-Re-Mi from
my favorite musical The Sound of Music, “lets start at the very
beginning, a very good place to start...” I was a girl in high
school who loved sports, especially the game of basketball. After I
knew I wasn't going to make it as a professional basketball player, I
started loving the game for the strategies of how to win the game.
It was in that moment that I wanted to become a basketball coach. I
was always good at seeing things and analyzing numbers which set me
apart from others. I would be sitting at a game and see something
and my parents would be like, “You saw that?” and I would say,
“Yes.” They would be amazed that I could see such great detail.
As I grew up, I did find a great job in
which I was working with numbers, but I wasn't ever satisfied with
the job because I knew it wasn't my “dream job”. My dream job
was always to become a college basketball coach for some university.
After stress and depression started taking over my life, I quit that
job to see if I could become become free of that stress, but I just
became more depressed. So with the suggestions of my mom, I decided
to go get some help at Anna Ogden Hall, the women and children's home
through the Union Gospel Mission. So on April 11, 2011, I entered
the 2 year program and on June 18, 2013 I became a graduate of the
program.
I learned many different things while I
was in the program. Also I have tons of memories from living in the
house. The one main thing that happened was my spark with relit.
The spark of wanting to become a college basketball coach. It had
burned out a few years back. So I decided to take some big risks
when it came to going after my dreams. I applied and was accepted to
Gonzaga University in a Masters Program called Sports and Athletic
Administration. I am almost finished with the program with an
anticipation of graduating May 2014. Part of the program requires
going out and doing three different internships in three different
areas of the sports world. These areas can be coaching, ticket
sales, promotions, marketing, research and so forth.
So in November of 2013, I sent out an
e-mail to our local high school and junior high girls basketball
coaches or principals to see if I could be an intern in their
basketball program. I had multiple coaches and principals get back
to me. After meeting with two amazing coaches with respectable
resumes and programs, I chose to work as an intern at Lewis &
Clark High School. I am an assistant basketball coach for the JV and
Varsity team. I am learning so much on how to be a great basketball
coach.
So now lets go back to the main reason
why I am writing this blog post. After one of our basketball games,
I found out our team would forgo a weekly practice to go serve dinner
at the Union Gospel Mission. My heart was in complete shock and
thrilled at the same time. This would be the time that I would get
to reveal my story to the players and the coaches that didn't already
know my story and background. I just knew that they would all be in
complete shock. Most importantly I was thrilled that our head coach
would give up one practice to teach the girls what it is to give back
to our community. I always knew that when I would coach a basketball
team that we would give back to the community so you may understand
the joy in my heart to see that the program that I decided to intern
with was teaching their players how to give back to the community.
On December 18, 2013 we all met up at
the Union Gospel Mission ready to serve. Before going to serve
dinner, the players got an overview of the ministry and heard a
couple testimonies from the guys that were in the program right now.
After that, the gentleman that was leading the group looking at me
and asked if I wanted to share my story and being the talkative
person that I can be I said sure. For the next minute or so I told
the players that I had been a resident and graduate of the program.
It was dead silent and some players months actually dropped opened in
shock. On the outside I look like a person who loves the game of
basketball and wants to help others succeed in life and in the game.
On the inside, who knew that somebody so normal would actually need
an amazing grace based program like this. My addiction was not drugs
or alcohol, but how I related to people so that shows that the
program is for anybody who wants change. My favorite part in sharing
my story was telling the girls that being able to work with them was
a fresh start and amazing opportunity. I was being given a second
chance by working with them.
After hearing about the ministry, we
all split up into groups and took tours of the facility. For me, it
was great to see some familiar faces from the staff to some of the
residents. There was even some areas of the facility that I had
never been to. It took me back to my time at Anna Ogden Hall when I
would give tours of our facilities to those who came by. My favorite
part of the tours was tell my group that the rooms had to be kept to
a specific/high standard and that random room checks happened. After
I said that, one of the players was like, “my room will never pass
an inspection because of how I keep it.” I laughed pretty hard at
that comment.
Once we finished our tours, then it was
time to serve dinner. We split our large group into two groups.
While the first group served, the second group ate dinner. From my
perspective, it looked like they were all having a fun time and
enjoying being servants. They would smile and greet all those that
came through the line. Half way through, we put the second group on
the line to serve. This got a little interesting as some of the
girls started singing Christmas carols. Those people who came
through the line who were eating dinner started singing along and
clapping at the girls that were singing. It made those people's day.
As a coach it brightens my day when I see the players that I help
coach making other people's day. It shows that we are actually doing
something right. While the singing is happening the first group that
was interacting with the people. Some of the girls looked
uncomfortable, but warmed up to the people as they started talking to
them and hearing their stories. Then after dinner it was time to say
goodbye and then get ready for practice the next day.
It was in that moment watching the
players from Lewis & Clark High School serving dinner at the
Union Gospel Mission that I had chosen the right school to intern
for. Being apart of a program that gives back to the community and
shares the same mission as I do means I am in the place that God has
me in. Giving back means the world to me. Even as a graduate of the
program I still try to go back to AOH as often as I can because they
gave me the fresh start that I needed to rejuvenate my life to go
after my dream of becoming a basketball coach. Being able to serve
at Lewis & Clark High School is just icing on the cake.
Now I just want to end this blog post
with a special prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for the
entire ministry of the Union Gospel Mission and how they strive to
serve this community through Your guidance and wisdom. Thank you
Lord for allowing the Lewis & Clark Basketball Program the
opportunity to serve at the Union Gospel Mission. Bless all the
coaches and players for wanting to give back to the community.
Finally Lord, thank you for giving me the opportunity to get a fresh
start through the Union Gospel Mission and my opportunity at Lewis &
Clark High School. You are a faithful God. In Jesus Name I pray.
Amen.
