A special needs second-grader who can’t cope with online learning plus a fatigued father who spends long hours working away from home plus an overwhelmed mom trying to navigate the needs of her boys in their newly adopted homeland equals a formula for despair.
One green backpack filled with school supplies is a catalyst for hope for the first-generation Guatemalan immigrants.
Erika was frantic to find help for her eldest son, Jason, already held back a year because of learning difficulties. Online instruction, mandated because of COVID-19, only deepened his learning gap. As Mom struggled to help Jason cope, there were signs her younger boy was also in need of special care.
“I felt overwhelmed and unsupported,” the Christian mother said.
That all changed when she went to a drive-thru food pantry at Valley Vineyard Church in Reseda, a suburb of Los Angeles. In the bag of food she found a flyer promoting another giveaway, this time with PowerPacks®, colorful backpacks filled with school supplies sponsored by Cru® Inner City.
“They really struggle financially,” said Jacquelyn Mendoza, who attends Valley Vineyard. “So this was a huge blessing to get the backpack.”
When they returned from the PowerPacks event, Jason was delighted to have something special for school, even if it was online. Jason’s mom was thrilled and relieved to discover Valley Vineyard also had an after-school tutoring program called the Jubilee Center. Jubilee, a Cru Inner City S.A.Y. Yes!® Center, is open two days a week, providing a light meal and help with homework, skills development and mentoring. It also offers valuable networking for parents.
Although COVID forced most of Jubilee’s programming to move online, unlike the schools, the Jubilee sessions were one-on-one. Jacquelyn, who manages the Jubilee Center, said Jason is not the same child who arrived at their center last fall, thanks, in part, to their weekly sessions together.
“He just is so much more happier,” Jacquelyn said. “I mean he was just really sad and was always focused on what he couldn’t do. Then we started focusing on what he could do and really speaking into his life.
“He struggles with focus issues to begin with but then on top of it, with Zoom, it was almost impossible.”
An ongoing struggle with sleeping only exacerbated Jason’s situation.
“The poor kid was just a stress ball, all the time,” Jacquelyn said.
His mother agrees.
“I’ve seen him grow academically, socially and spiritually,” Erika said, adding, “He is excited to learn and is more self-confident.”
“I’ve seen him grow academically, socially and spiritually … He is excited to learn and is more self-confident.”
Beyond the guidance for Jason, the center became a lifeline to the culturally isolated family.
“I think part of the issue, as well, was the mother just had no support,” Jacquelyn said, adding her husband’s work hours kept him away from home. “She used to feel like she didn’t have family here but now she feels like Jubilee is her family.”
That sense of family was fostered through consistent love and care. Early on, Jacquelyn introduced her friend, Yuri, to Erika. Yuri, who is bilingual, was able to pour into Erika and her family, including tutoring Jason a couple of times each week.
“She’s a special ed teacher and she has a son that is just about Jason’s age so she’s really taken him under her wing and they’ve got a real special relationship now,” Jacquelyn said.
In one instance, Yuri went to Jason’s doctor with Erika. Yuri made the offer after learning a language barrier was preventing Erika from understanding the doctor’s instructions for Jason’s treatment.
“Yuri found out exactly what was happening and has really walked Erica through it,” she said. “She’s just really gone beyond what most people would have done but, because of that, Erica is happier. I think she’s much more hopeful now.”
Building on that progress, the Jubilee Center started a Bible study to support the center’s moms, though it’s now on hiatus.
“She’s really excited about this Bible study … because she just needs a little bit of support and she needs friends.”
Erika is not the only one thriving spiritually. Over time, Jacquelyn has seen steady progress with Jason as he interacts with his classmates.
“They pray for each other so we can kind of model and let them practice what it looks like to be a part of that,” she said. “At first he wasn’t really participating. But he was really beginning to participate more. He’s even offering to pray now, which is huge. He takes initiative if someone says they are not well and will pray on the spot.”
Jacquelyn marvels at how Jason’s transformation started with a simple but meaningful gift of a PowerPack®. Last year, Valley Vineyard distributed 75 PowerPacks donated by Cru.
“In the past I’ve actually had kids cry when they get their backpack,” Jacquelyn said.
The PowerPack distribution was especially effective in 2020 because of the pandemic. It provided some much-needed excitement as children struggled with isolation and learning on a small screen. For many, the backpacks proved to be a visible expression of something normal in their lives, while also providing entry points for spiritual conversations.
“We can’t do all that without those seeds,” Jacquelyn said. “I have the time and I have the effort and I want to do it, but the money, I don’t have. I’m so grateful.”
