Christian (faith based) article for a newsletter - Essay Example

Everyone desires the freedoms to live, work, play and pursue their dreams in peace and harmony. Rather unfortunately, these ideals have not always been achievable for many as our society and communities are plagued with many troubles that affect our way of life. The roles government and non-governmental institutions play is of great importance, and should be seen as crucial to confronting many of these anomalies. It is clear that intervention is a relevant necessity today than it has ever been.

For more than a decade, the Nehemiah Centre has been on the forefront of this needed intervention in the city of Houston and its environs. The centre has taken on social tasks that have impacted inner-city residents, many of whom have been affected in many ways by their crime ridden and socially backward neighborhoods. As Executive Director, my most important duty will be to join the dedicated team of volunteers, donors and staff in contributing to the restoration of the communities we serve and reaching affected persons.

The work we do under the aegis of the Nehemiah Center is one defined and inspired by our collective Faith in God. I believe it is our social responsibility to emphasis the teachings of Christ through social programs that reach those who are in need of intervention. It is our duty to follow the examples of Jesus and show compassion to our neighbours. “Blessed are those that give…” Jesus says and “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the [children] of God” Our roles should truly be those of peacemakers and givers.

In our communities we must dedicate time, effort and resources to the most vulnerable; our children. Children will not flourish into model citizens within a society that is destroying their hopes of a bright future. It is these young people who will inherit the pains and sadly subsequently perpetuate them if the cycle of rot is not broken and we must not lose sight of these. We should continually ask for the peace of God to reign in our communities. Although the challenges look arduous, we should be encouraged that “…the peace of God which passes all understanding, will keep our hearts and minds…” (Philippians 4:7).

For it is only when we are at peace with Him, at peace with others, that we can truly be most effective instruments of change.The issues that we confront do not require myopic approaches that only propose band aid solutions. Instead a holistic approach that clearly identifies the short and long objectives must be adopted. These objectives should be determined in consultation with the communities and be targeted to address specific issues. We must extend the left hand of peace and the right hand of fellowship to these families and help to bring them into God’s light.

Programs at the Nehemiah Centre like the Pre-K projects will remain a cornerstone of our operations. Others like our After School, College Prep and Adult Education Programs will continue to target vulnerable persons by meeting their educational needs. These programs will ensure a solid sound foundation for the future.The synergy of all stake holders and our Faith in God will break through failures of the past and help us re-create a better future for ourselves and our children. As an educator with a decade of experience and a former Program Director at the Nehemiah Centre, I have witnessed first hand the results of targeted interventions.

Our long term objective at the Nehemiah centre is to achieve educational equity and spiritual nourishment for our children and families. Together as a unit and as a family under God’s divine leadership we will achieve this. My prayer and hope as I embark on this solemn call of duty is for a peaceful transition and lasting peace overall for our families. We should remain thankful to our creator and continually give glory to God.