About two months ago, I began to doubt that we'd have volunteers to staff the SOAAR program next school year. I'd emailed a few folks that I thought might be interested, posted the position(s) through CRWM and Calvin College, asked people to network, written blog posts and prayer letters about it. No bites. Not a one.
Now, I know it is quite a lot to ask of someone to volunteer at NCA--give up a year of salary, depend on others to provide for all of your needs, move to a foreign country where you likely don't speak the language, enter into unfamiliar community.
Thankfully we serve a God who is our provider (despite, and even in spite of our lack of faith!) I'm so thankful that we are going into next year with 3 fulltime volunteer assistants and 1 speech pathologist. And honestly, NONE of these folks found out about the SOAAR program through any of my own "devices" that I mentioned above. I can't claim it. It was really, truly, God at work.
Here is a little info about the awesome, overly-qualified team I'll get to work with next year that was sent as part of an email to the NCA staff recently:
Kellie Voss (Volunteer Speech Pathologist) comes to us from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has a Master's Degree in Speech and Language Pathology and a Bachelor's Degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish. She has over 5 years of extensive clinical experience in multiple hospitals, schools and hearing centers in Austin, Texas and Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is fully bilingual in English and Spanish, and recently volunteered at NCA and Tesoros de Dios for about one week. She will be here for 1 year as a volunteer speech therapist for NCA International, NCA Nejapa and Tesoros de Dios and the greater community.
Danielle Dolifka (SOAAR Volunteer)is a recent graduate of Baylor University (Texas) and learned about the SOAAR Volunteer assistant position as a result of Dan Van Zoest's recent visit to the university as enrichment for our college counseling program. Danielle has a degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Baylor University. She already has international experience in Spain, Peru, Nicaragua and Brazil, and is excited about joining the NCA staff next year!
Rylie Enslin (SOAAR Volunteer) is also a recent graduate of Baylor University, friends with Danielle Dolifka, and was the first person to connect with Dan Van Zoest about this opportunity at NCA. Rylie comes to us from Gig Harbor, Washington. She has a degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Baylor University. We're very excited to have Rylie joining our program next year!
PJ (Paul) Miller (SOAAR Volunteer) comes to us from Coral Springs, Florida, and is currently pursuing 4-year degree BA in Christian Education, major in Elementary Education, at Calvary Chapel University. He has teacher assistant experience at Hinkson Christian Academy (an ACSI school) in Moscow, Russia, among other volunteer experiences. He comes well recommended for serving with our SOAAR program and has the solid backing of his home church to make this happen; we're very excited to have PJ join the NCA family!
I need to say a final THANKS and goodbye to Jim and Candace Ducharme and Olinda Keegstra for their service in the SOAAR program this past semester. It has been a blessing to work with such dedicated, hard-working people. Our students have forever been changed thanks to the work of these three awesome assistants. Blessings on their future endeavors!
