Hope for New York

Hope for New York and Redeemer Presbyterian Church partnered to support family friendly volunteering through the annual backpack project.  On a Wednesday morning, families from Redeemer entered a conference room filled with school supplies and quickly went to work by preparing backpacks that will be distributed by World Vision to underprivileged students in New York City.  Within three hours over 400 backpacks were filled with pens, pencils, crayons, paper, folders, and other essential school supplies.  Each backpack was also given an extra bit of care as a handwritten and colored note was placed inside the backpack, welcoming the student back to school.  Why would a very busy parent in the bustling city of New York take time out of the day to be a part of this event?  Courtney Turay, one of the mothers involved in this project for the past two years, explains in her own words.

Why did you want to be involved in this service project? 
I believe that one of the main aspects of living a Christian life is in serving others.

What did you experience during the project? Is there anything about the project that really stood out to you?
I experienced children learning to think about others' needs.  Children are egocentric by nature and so to see the spirit of servanthood being cultivated was a real joy.  By serving children right here in the city, I think it made the project very tangible to the children.  Watching the video played a key role in this as it showed New York City--and perhaps a side of our city that some of our children did not know existed. Also, by children serving other children, I think it made the project very meaningful to the children; it was something they could easily identify with.  Lastly, it was a real thrill to watch the children engaged in such lively fellowship.  They had such fun, all working towards a common goal and they all grew a little as a result.

As a parent, why do you appreciate opportunities to serve together with your children?
I appreciate opportunities to serve because these opportunities act as a springboard to open up lots of dialogues with my children about the needs of others, putting others first, how fortunate we are and how even the simplest of acts can help better the lives of others.

Do you have any thoughts to share with other parents regarding this opportunity?
When I saw the first serving opportunity last year, I knew it was something I wanted to participate in and I signed up right away.  I knew it would be a great opportunity and experience and I was not disappointed.  At the conclusion of the first project, my then-six-year-old's first question was "When do we get to do this again?!"  As the beginning of school drew closer, he remembered the children in his prayers, so I know this project impacted him. We often talk about needy children and to know that he has helped some of them in some small way has helped us, as parents to build a gospel centered life in him (and in his siblings).  We will continue to go to these and other service projects so that we can keep building a servant's heart in all three of our children.