God’s presence was there with us.

As this school year comes to a close, I want to reflect on the worship at NCA.

This was my second year on the school worship team, but my first year as the worship leader. I absolutely loved it, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. We all learned many things as the year went on. We learned from our mistakes. (mostly mine) We learned how to keep worshiping God even though the sound system didn’t work right. But most importantly, we learned that God’s presence was there with us. There were a couple of times when no one was motivated to participate in worship, but there were also many times were I wish we could’ve kept going on and on in worship.

What I’m really wanting to say right now is… even though it was a rough year, I was extremely honored and privileged to lead the student body in worship. I know this sounds mushy, but I love each and every student and especially everyone on my worship team very much. I will sorely miss everyone. I’ve seen a glimpse of what next year’s worship team will be like, and I know that my team is in good hands. I am extremely excited to see what God has in store for NCA next year.

So again, I am honored to have served as the worship leader for NCA. Thank you all for putting up with me. God bless you all!

- Joshua Toms, Senior, Worship Leader ’09-’10

Cochabamba pushed its way into my heart

The trip to Bolivia this February was so much more than I could have expected! Each day was full of deep emotions and new experiences.

One of our devotional themes was that in our trip, God wanted to work both through us and in us. I calmed and fed a crying baby, painted the fingernails of homeless children, refurbished a building at Camp Kewiña, and planned a Bible day camp for children in a local school. In all of this, Cochabamba pushed its way into my heart. The beauty of the city and the surrounding mountains contrasted so intensely with the extreme poverty of the people. I felt God’s love for his children and understood how the simplicity of serving, of loving the unloved, touches his heart.

I thank God for the opportunity I had to fall in love with Bolivia and hope that those who follow us from NCA will be as moved as I was.

- Cookie Brienen, Senior

Thanks for Breaking the Rules

Looking back to when my daughter became quite ill last fall and was admitted to Mass. General Hospital in Boston, it was a completely new and frightening experience for her. As parents we were pleased that she reached out to her classmates and asked them to pray for her.

In the worst hours, she was in pain, unable to speak because of the tube in her throat, and utterly miserable. We sent an update to her teacher on her condition, and let him know that text messages were helping lift her spirits.

He responded by breaking the rules by encouraging all of her classmates to get out their cell phones and send her messages – during school no less! It helped her more than anyone could have imagined, and was truly an example of the body of Christ caring for one another.

Seeing God’s faithfulness in Bolivia

Later this week 12 students will travel the 4,173 miles to Cochabamba, Bolivia for a week of reaching out to the homeless, poor, and orphaned of that country. It will be a stretch for many of these seniors from NCA, and an opportunity to see God’s faithfulness. One student, Jon will be bringing a guitar which will be well used while there.

One problem though, he didn’t have one to bring. In his moms words “I encouraged Jon to believe that God would provide a guitar for him… that was 4 weeks ago. Tonight, with just 6 days before they depart Jon was given a check for a guitar. So tomorrow we shop!!! God is so faithful.”

Please consider praying for Jon, his classmates, and the guitar, that they will be used mightily by God.

Larger than pictures

I remember the first meeting with my son’s 2nd grade teacher. We had home schooled him until that point not wanting to send that little inquisitive mind off to the unknown but it was time, both for him and his mom who was valiantly trying to keep up with his studies and raise his 2 younger sisters. He went in for testing and although he was ready age-wise for 3rd grade he has some difficulty with reading. Actually it might have been more stubbornness than an actual learning problem. You see he had come to the conclusion that he could discern a book by its pictures. Reading was optional. So he started 2nd grade that year.

He and I stood awkwardly outside his classroom as his teacher Mrs. Schweigert walked up to us and said, as much for me as for him, “Hi there, it’s great to see you today! I just wanted you to know that by the end of the year you will be reading fluently. We will work together on that.” I handed him his lunch box and into the class he went. Simple as that.

Within a few weeks she told us that he didn’t have a reading problem but was bored. She suggested that I start reading a book that was “larger than pictures” and read to him every night. I started with “Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien and was amazed as we walked through the Mines of Moria, Lothlorien, and Gondor meeting fantastic creatures that he tracked along with every step. And his reading did improve. Markedly. To the point in his final year at high school he was excelling at his studies and had time to read 60 plus books a year, for fun!

God placed the perfect teacher in my sons path at just the right time, to adjust both of our habits and attitudes and to open up the life long joy of reading to him.

- Father of a NCA graduate

Thank you Allycia

As I sit here the night before I leave on my big trip, I’ve been thinking about what it means for me to go. This is my first time doing something really big for God. I’ve gone through all the steps of preparing for the trip, sending out letters, and packing, but it still doesn’t seem real. I know that tonight is my last night in the northern hemisphere for a week, but it still feels like tomorrow is just another school day. And yet I feel something in my gut that says that tomorrow is going to be unlike anything I’ve ever done before.

Part of what we have done this week to prepare for the trip is to purchase items to donate to the Compassion International program, such as clothes and school supplies. My dad and I, however, did something slightly different. Instead of asking what can we donate to Compassion, we asked what can do to make a lasting impact with their 140 kids, and we came to an interesting conclusion: Toys and candy. Lots of it.

Suffice to say, we ransacked Staples, Toys ‘R Us, and Walmart, and I now have a suitcase full of stickers, Frisbees, candy necklaces, and more.

My littlest sister told her third grade class about the trip her big brother is going on, and they have been praying for us since. One of her classmates, Allycia, went the extra mile and donated four white-erase boards and a packet of markers for the kids. Thank you Allycia!

CT – 11th grade