Category: Make a Difference

Guatemala Stories: The Avocado Lady

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I first saw her after our first day of ministry at The Ravine School in Chimaltenango.

She was sitting on a stool with her produce to the left of the school’s entrance. She was beautiful, and she was selling my favorite thing: avocados. With my photographer’s eye, I noted the perfect contrast of her green sweater, the green-blue building, her colorful dress, and the gorgeous avocados in the orange basket. I had to take her picture.

I took a few stealthy shots but they weren’t at an ideal angle. Unfortunately, that’s what happens sometimes when trying to be sneaky.

Avocado Lady

I worked up the courage to ask her if I could take her photo, only to be told “no” by this beautiful lady. I respected her wishes and retreated to the van.

I couldn’t get her out of my mind, and as I talked with the other ladies in the van about her, we came up with a plan for the next day to try to win her over – not solely for the purpose of taking her picture, though. We had something bigger in mind.

I mentioned that I would love to buy some of her avocados, and one of my teammates said, “Why don’t we buy ALL of them?” And the plan was set.

As we prepared to leave the school that day, “Avocado Lady” laughed at us silly Americans because we were so excited about a man with two cows walking down the street. That broke the ice a little. I waved to her as we drove away and she was still smiling at us.

Silly Americans, so easily amused...

When we returned to the school the next day, we were so excited about our plan. Sure enough, as soon as school was finished, she was there with her goods, hoping to sell enough to provide for her family.

We approached her and I asked her, in Spanish, how much each avocado cost. She replied that they were 1 Quetzal each (about $0.13). The three of us had decided to give her $20 for all of them, so I held up the money and told her that we wanted to buy them ALL. Her eyes widened and she smiled as she gladly accepted the money. She put the avocados into my teammate’s backpack with a smile on her face the entire time.

To give perspective, had she sold all of her avocados at the normal price, she would have made $4. Most of the time, these ladies who sell produce don’t sell everything that they prepare (fruit in bags, etc.), and it goes to waste. We paid her $0.75 an avocado (a great price here in Pennsylvania!) in an effort to bless her and provide some extra money for her and her family because we could.

Because $20 isn’t a whole lot of money to most Americans, but to a Guatemalan woman who is working hard for pennies a day, it’s an abundant gift (about 150 Q). It was worth every penny to see the gratitude in her eyes. We didn’t just make an impression on her – there were quite a few children around who kept saying (in Spanish) “$20!” and smiling in wonder at the $20 from the strange American women.

After we bought all of her produce, she agreed to let us take a picture with her.

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She may not be smiling in this picture, but she was definitely smiling inside.

Hopefully she decided that these crazy Americans weren’t so bad after all.

Hopefully she’ll wonder what we were doing in the school next door. And if her children aren’t already in school, hopefully that will change.

We decided to give some of the avocados to our team’s drivers, and we gave the rest to the orphanage at which we served that afternoon and the next day so that Papa Cesar could make some more of his famous guacamole for the girls, which made this mutual blessing stretch even further.

I can’t think of a better way to spend $20.

The Help Experiment

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Our culture has become so individualistic and compartmentalized that we rarely take the time to help other people.

It’s rare that we even notice a need because we’re so wrapped up in our own lives and our own problems.

It breaks my heart that we are surprised and excited when we hear that someone helped someone else selflessly, expecting nothing in return. It happens so rarely that it is always unexpected and stunning. Shouldn’t the opposite be stunning – that we can ignore the needs of someone else without a thought?

And yet, what if the norm could be changed?

The Help Experiment is seeking to do just that: to make helping people the norm and not the exception.

Everyone has skills, talents, passions that can help someone else! From offering financial advice to preparing a meal for you, we’ve already seen some AMAZING and selfless offers from individuals.

Helping people doesn’t just impact the recipient – it impacts the giver as well (as evidenced in this video, for example).

Come, join us. There are no obligations to give. If you need something, you can also make requests to the group!

“Joining does not mean you must participate in any fashion, we would love for you to simply come on in and check us out! You never know, someone might be offering some help that you need, right now! We help because we can, we help because we should and we help because we feel like… you would too.”

We’re here to help each other, and by doing so, we just might change the world.

To read more about The Help Experiment, check out this blog by one of my fellow leadership team members.

The Start Experiment, Round Two: Day Nine

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Today, one of my wonderful fellow “Starters” posted something that almost made me cry because it spoke directly to my heart.

Know what isn’t the only reason you’re not working for your dreams? It isn’t always your fear that is preventing you from being successful. Sometimes it is your unwillingness to sacrifice. You’ve got to decide today that the pain of staying the same and not chasing your dream is costing you more than it would to chase it.  — Ashley Revely

Oh my. Between that and the email that Jon Acuff sent to those of us in Round Two today, I feel broken. In a good way. I forgot my journal at home, so I decided to just blog about it since I’m sure that others feel the same way and might need this encouragement.

Jon’s email today talked about not just settling for “jobs” when they’re not something that makes us feel alive and when they’re not part of our calling. I have done that my whole adult life. Every single job.

Funny “coincidence” that after I read that email I headed to an interview for a job that I could do and could do it well. But, it has nothing to do with the passions in my soul and my new-found mission in life. Same with the job I interviewed for last week. In fact, I honestly feel that accepting either of these jobs would be detrimental to my dream. Interesting what a new perspective can show you.

Ashley’s quote doesn’t only apply to my dream, though: it also applies to weight-loss and health. Before our wedding, perhaps because I had a goal, I lost 20 lbs and worked hard at it. I felt GREAT and loved what I saw in the mirror. I felt thin. After the wedding, I gained it all back PLUS some because I wasn’t willing to sacrifice things along the way. I’m realizing now that the cost of staying the same is far more painful than chasing my dream and working hard.

Today I’m going to break both my dream job and my dream of weighing 45 pounds less into simple steps and look at WHY I’m failing at weight loss. I know that most of it is due to lack of preparation and planning, but some is still due to laziness. What will it cost to pursue my dream and what sacrifices are necessary? I am thinking that any sort of permanent job is at the top of the list. I’m also thinking that getting up at 5am to ensure that I have plenty of focus-time will continue to be a must.

What is it costing me to stay the same? Joy, peace, self-image, contentment, passion.

What might it cost me to change? Time, effort, maybe financial sacrifice, trusting God a whole lot more.

The pain of staying the same is DEFINITELY costing me a lot. It’s time to sacrifice things that are standing in the way so that I can fully pursue what I am called to be.

New Perspective…Part One.

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So, something occurred to me in the past twenty-four hours that just might be an answer to a long-standing prayer of mine. Maybe. It’s at least getting me closer to understanding the “why” of my jobs, past and present. I have split this into two blog posts because it’s far too much for one post.

First, some background:

In 2001, I was ready to take on the world. I wanted to be the governor of California someday, with every intention of being my friend’s vice-president in 2028 (we even had a website!). High-profile aspiration is an understatement.

That’s how I saw myself: working in politics to change our country for the better, and everyone would know my name and how awesome I was. I wanted to feel important, to feel admired, to feel respected because of my capabilities, talents, and brilliance. In one word: pride.

Over the next few years I interned with Newt Gingrich in Washington, D.C. (2003), I worked on (and ran) several campaigns, attended the 2005 Presidential Inauguration (and a ball) and was even on ABC for thirty-seconds. I attended campaign training at President Reagan’s ranch in Santa Barbara and was pictured in TIME Magazine with the rest of the training group. I was on my way…or so I thought.

Fast-forward to 2007: Two years past graduation and I was still living in Southern California (not my plan). I kept trying to get back to D.C. but doors just would not open. Instead, I was working for a financial company fixing tax returns all day long–completely low-profile–along with doing youth ministry at my church (nearly full-time for a while). I eventually became content (but not fully happy) in the tax job and even tried to move into management, to no avail. Even though my bosses said I was the perfect candidate for management, I continued to be passed over for promotions, and it didn’t make sense to any of us. But, it was a good job so I remained there.

In December 2007, I felt God urging me to pray for discomfort. My faith had grown stagnant and I was desperate for a change. He brought to my attention all of the accounts in the Bible of people who grew tremendously through trials and discomfort (and never through times of prosperity or easy living)…

…so I did it. I began praying for the next year that God would make me uncomfortable in order for me to become more like Jesus. God definitely delivered. 2008 was one of the toughest years of my life thus far, and I never DREAMED of what God would call me to do/lead me through. From the spiritual struggles to the physical (pneumonia), He used that year to the fullest to mold and shape me. I knew it would be a challenging year (I could probably write a book), but I never dreamed of the growth and transformation that would take place by surrendering to God’s plan and letting go of my own.

The biggest change was my move to Pennsylvania. I had been contemplating this for many years but kept trying to do things my way and nothing ever worked out. I visited PA in October 2007 and during that trip I realized that I didn’t want to live in Southern California anymore, at all. The realization even brought me to tears one day.

I began praying that God would allow me to move to PA, and I prayed for six months before I felt an answer from the Lord. He said that I could stay or go, and that He would use me wherever I was. That was a huge lesson in itself, realizing that sometimes God allows us to make decisions and that sometimes there is no “right” answer.

I moved to Harrisburg, PA on July 31, 2008 knowing only two people in the city, having no job, and having very little money. I chose Harrisburg because of it being the center of Pennsylvania politics. I worked through a temp agency for awhile until obtaining a job with a lobbying firm–which I thought was PERFECT! This was it–my door into the political arena!

Boy, was I wrong. Looking back, I firmly believe that God allowed me to have that position for a year to show me that He did NOT want me in politics. It was a terrible year–the job was a terrible fit and I was so miserable in that role. I saw a side of politics that I had never seen before and I was completely disillusioned. I was let go on 09/09/09 and the joy that I felt was indescribable! Most people aren’t happy after being fired (or, in my case, “forced to quit”), but I felt all the heaviness that had weighed on my heart disappear and I felt so free.

From there, I was unemployed for a year, and that year was an incredible gift to me. I watched as God provided faithfully for me and I was able to pay my rent until April 2010, when I moved in with Brennan’s aunt and uncle until our wedding. I was able to focus on church planting and mission trips, and I was so joy-filled through it all. I got engaged during this time, so this also allowed me to focus on wedding plans/marriage. God’s provision was constant, and though it was a humbling year, I learned to accept help from others and to not be proud.

I worked for a temp agency as much as possible (talk about humbling), and in June 2010 I began working part-time for a consulting firm (huge blessing). In September 2010 I obtained a second part-time job (my current role) and was finally working full-time again. I learned more during that year of unemployment than I thought possible! It was a humbling and faith-filled year.

That brings me to today…I have been in my current role for two and a half years. I have never been recognized or thanked for my work by my supervisor. I do work that a high school student could do. I have never had a raise (and I don’t make much to begin with). I do not use my very expensive, hard-earned bachelor’s degree. I go most days completely unnoticed by my co-workers (and have NEVER been asked to join them for lunch when they go out). My gifts and talents go by the wayside as I watch the clock day by day, waiting for 3:00pm to arrive so that I can do things that actually matter. I feel completely unappreciated and overlooked. I have applied for and even interviewed for MANY jobs during this time period, but God has not opened any other doors. So I have remained here, despite how miserable I tend to be here.

Even my role as a relief houseparent at MHS is largely a “thankless” job (from the students themselves, not from the supervisors or the houseparents…students aren’t going to thank you for disciplining them, haha). Don’t get me wrong–I LOVE it, and it’s highly rewarding to help these students make decisions and learn lessons! My point is that they don’t care about the fact that I’m intelligent, a great musician/vocalist; they don’t really care that I am a good photographer, or that I was once in TIME Magazine. They just want to be fed (they are middle school boys, after all 🙂 ), entertained, and kept safe. Above all, they want to be loved.

So why has God been allowing me to go through these things? I think I’ve determined His reasons…

To be continued…

New Perspective…Part Two.

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(See part one here…)

Yesterday, as I was talking with a dear friend about her potential job opportunities (very prestigious and impressive jobs for which she is perfectly suited), all of the above-mentioned things started to run through my head. As I listened to her speak, I realized that I, too, long to be admired for what I can do–for my God-given gifts and abilities, for what I worked so hard to accomplish in college/post-college. I long to be known as someone who “did something” with her life, whatever that even means. I, too, tend to put my value and self-worth in my career, in how people view me, and what I’ve done, which explains so much about why I have felt so miserable in recent jobs. That hasn’t changed since 2001.

But you know what has changed? In the past year, my desire to be a mother (a stay-at-home one, at that) has increased exponentially (considering that I never saw myself doing that, it wasn’t hard for it to increase drastically). I have come to realize that raising children to love Jesus and to be productive members of society is the greatest possible career that I could ever have. What a stark contrast to how I felt even one year ago.

And last night, it became very clear that God has used the circumstances of the past few years to prepare me for being a mom (No, this is not a pregnancy announcement 🙂 ). From what I hear, being a mother is often a “thankless” job as you continuously and often sacrificially serve your children. Someday, they might recognize the amazing job you did to prepare them for life and to take care of them, but humans are naturally born selfish. They aren’t going to say “thanks, mom, for changing my diaper so that I don’t get diaper rash” or “thanks, mom, for staying up all night with me when I was sick”…that’s just how it goes. They don’t care how accomplished you are and they certainly aren’t going to marvel over your talents. Being a mother is going to require humility, sacrifice, unconditional love, and lots of grace…and I know now that I am much better equipped for motherhood because of the circumstances of the past few years.

Much of the past twelve years makes so much sense now. I was in desperate need of humility, and God brought circumstances into my life to teach me how to be humble. I wish I had been a faster learner! Haha. Not that I’m completely humble–definitely not. But, given where I was in 2001, I have come a long way and my perspective has completely changed. I was so unaware of the grip that pride was holding on my life!

I now view the word “rewarding” completely differently. It no longer means being recognized and praised–it means offering recognition and praise expecting nothing in return, all for the benefit of others.

So, now I have something new to embrace, and something hard with which to grapple. God doesn’t want me to be “famous”–He wants me to make disciples, including my own future children.

I need to remind myself constantly that it doesn’t matter what the world thinks of me, and it doesn’t matter if they notice how “awesome” I might happen to be…

What matters is that I live my life according to the Gospel, and that I share it with others at every opportunity.

What matters is that I find ways to use my God-given gifts and talents to further the Kingdom of God, especially within my own household, without doing it selfishly or for recognition.

What matters are the eternal things, not the temporal.

What matters is that my value and self-worth come from God alone and not from anything that I have done or will do.

Day Fifteen: I’m Thankful For…Clean Water.

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Preface: I thought it was fitting to express my thanks during the month of November for something new each day, as so many others have done before me. I’ve never taken the time to do this, and it will be a challenge to blog each day, but it’s so important to recognize the blessings God has given us! 🙂 These are in NO particular order…

I grew up drinking tap water that tasted better than any bottled water out there. We had no fear of getting sick from the water, nor did we fear a lack of water, even in drought-ridden California.

It wasn’t until I was an exchange student in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1999 that I realized that not everyone has access to clean water. While we were there, we had to be extremely careful to not allow any tap water to enter our mouths–not even while brushing out teeth. (Granted, the people who live in Guadalajara can drink it with no problem because their bodies are used to the parasites can that exist in the water; however, our American bodies would not cope so well with those foreign objects in our systems, so we avoided it.) That was my first experience with not being able to drink tap water.

It was in Haiti that I first fully grasped the enormity and severity of not having clean water. We were surrounded by people who were using filthy water to wash their clothes, and I’m really not sure where they got their drinking water. It was heartbreaking. There was a huge Cholera outbreak that was related to the water supply, causing even more deaths in the damaged country.

The U.N. estimates that 2.6 billion people live without access to an adequate supply of clean water. They also estimate that a child dies every 20 seconds from lack of clean water/diseases caused by dirty water. It is incredible to me that in the year 2012 there are still millions of people dying each year from something that is easily prevented!

That is why organizations like Humankind Water and Blood:Water Mission (and many others) are so important! Both of these organizations work to build/dig wells in places where clean water doesn’t exist. Humankind Water recently won a contest to be on the shelves at Walmart and their bottles are currently in 200 stores on the East Coast (Harrisburg and Palmyra have them, local readers!). ALL of their profits go to building wells to provide access to clean water. Blood:Water Mission focuses primarily on Africa and has had a tremendous impact there. Both of these organizations are worth your support! $1 gives 1 person access to clean water for 1 year!

Please don’t take your abundant access to clean water for granted…and do what you can to help others have the same access. 🙂

 

Day Five: I’m Thankful For…Church Family.

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Preface: I thought it was fitting to express my thanks during the month of November for something new each day, as so many others have done before me. I’ve never taken the time to do this, and it will be a challenge to blog each day, but it’s so important to recognize the blessings God has given us! 🙂 These are in NO particular order…

I have made two major moves in my life: the first was from Northern to Southern California (523 miles) for college in 2001; the second was from Southern California to Pennsylvania (3,000 miles) in 2008. Both moves were significant landmarks in my life, and both placed me far from my family, friends and comfort zone.

However, God is eternally faithful and He has continually brought me “church family” to take care of me, befriend me, and love me.

Within my first month of college, I found the First Baptist Church of Glendora and the friendships made there still stand strong today. The bond that I have with so many people there will last forever and I am so thankful for God’s leading! I know that I still have “family” in Glendora. I was so blessed to be surrounded by like-minded musicians and we made some incredible music together. I was surrounded by friends my age who were seeking to know Jesus more and more and they sharpened me. They encouraged me. They were sad to see me move in 2008 but recognized God’s hand in the journey and supported me all the way. I love them dearly.

Within my first month of moving to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I found East Shore Baptist Church. From the first time I walked through those doors until now, I felt welcomed and loved. As soon as people discovered how far I had come and how far my family was from me, they stepped in and took care of me. They supported and encouraged me. They helped me find a husband 😉 (haha). When I lost my job, they ensured that I was fed and taken care of. One Sunday I found $200 in my Bible–which was exactly what I needed to finish paying my rent for the month. I have no idea who blessed me that day, but I am SO thankful.

The pastors allowed me to begin a ministry to the singles in the church (which is, ironically, where I became acquainted with Brennan) as this was a large people group within the church that was not being served. They encouraged me to use my gifts for the good of the body (even when it was uncomfortable–like playing guitar for worship…which I did every Sunday, two services, for two years and do all the time now) and never discouraged me from following God’s leading.

They allowed me to be on the leadership team for an amazing church plant called The Well at East Shore. I was the “Community Projects Coordinator” and was able to live out two of my passions: missions and serving. I planned community service projects for our church that we did the third Thursday of every month (that’s the night we met in order to reach those who can’t or won’t go to church on Sundays)…we chose to go BE the church on those nights instead of just sitting in church every week. It was a powerful way to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our community.

We eventually felt led to discontinue The Well, but God definitely had plans for our little church plant: It was through The Well that I met the Morrisons and the Shays. They came up from North Carolina to see Harrisburg in March 2010 as they were praying about where to plant a church. I helped show them around Harrisburg and we were able to show them where we were seeing God at work–EVERYWHERE! They felt led to come join God in the great work He is doing here and moved here in 2011. Brennan and I are now part of the church that they planted, Redeeming Grace Church, and they have become such a wonderful blessing to our lives. Redeeming Grace has brought us another wonderful church family and we are so blessed to call RGC our church home.

God has proven His love to me in so many ways, but this is one of the greatest: wherever He has called me to go, He has brought people alongside me who love and encourage me, and I love and encourage them as well. He is so faithful to care for us!

Thank you, Jesus, for providing amazing Christians who become family to me wherever I go…

Day Four: I’m Thankful For…My Talents.

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Preface: I thought it was fitting to express my thanks during the month of November for something new each day, as so many others have done before me. I’ve never taken the time to do this, and it will be a challenge to blog each day, but it’s so important to recognize the blessings God has given us! 🙂 These are in NO particular order…

I am so thankful for the talents with which the Lord has blessed me. They enrich my life greatly, bring immense joy, and they shape how I experience the world. I am thankful for the people the Lord has placed in my life to help me refine these talents and become even better in these areas. He gets all the credit!

I am especially thankful for my musical ability and my photography skills.

He blessed me with the ability to pick up any instrument and learn how to play it (often teaching myself)…I have nearly perfect pitch and that has proved to be a wonderful gift through the years. He has also given me a powerful voice to use for His glory…and that how I strive to use it. I love being able to lead others in the music portion of a worship service, knowing that I am pointing them to the Sovereign God who has created all things…truly, all of the glory and honor goes to Him. I can do nothing on my own!

I also love singing the National Anthem at sporting events–it is such a huge thrill and I love the feeling of having 10,000 people cheering 😉 (the link is from 3 years ago–it’s the most recent recording I have). This is my fourth season singing for the Hershey Bears and I am so honored to have the privilege of singing there.

God has given me an eye for photography that I am able to use to convey powerful messages and to inspire action (Haiti). He also has allowed me to use photography to capture His creation for others to enjoy. I love photography and I feel so alive when I’m able to capture events/places on “film” (saying “on a memory card” just doesn’t have the same ring ;)). He is such a great God and He can be seen in all of His creation…and I love bringing pieces of His creation back home for others to experience as well.

Thank you, Jesus, for giving me gifts through which you bless others.

Day Two: I’m Thankful For…Provision.

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Preface: I thought it was fitting to express my thanks during the month of November for something new each day, as so many others have done before me. I’ve never taken the time to do this, and it will be a challenge to blog each day, but it’s so important to recognize the blessings God has given us! 🙂 These are in NO particular order…

God richly and abundantly provides for the NEEDS of His children, and I am so thankful for that. I am so thankful for the jobs that He has provided for us that have allowed us to pay off all of our credit card debt this year! Even though my job may not be the career I’ve always dreamed of, it has enabled us to work diligently at becoming debt-free and it is one way through which God has provided for us.

Looking further back, I can see His hand in so many times of personal need before marriage. I was unemployed for so many months yet never went hungry or without shelter. Through those experiences He taught me to rely on Him FULLY for provision, as well as the importance of living frugally, and those are things we strive for in our marriage as well. We work hard to be good stewards and we trust that our needs will be met…and they always are! This is one reason why we love “budget day” (which is every other Wednesday): Budget Day is a huge testimony of God’s faithful provision!

I’m also thankful for the provision that He provides so that we can give back to others who are in need. He is so faithful to provide! So many people allowed themselves to be used by God during my time of need, and I love that we are now in the position to be His hands and feet to others during their time of need. I’m so thankful that He has created such a wonderful community among Christians…a community through which we can humbly admit our needs and allow others to step in and help us.

God is our Provider…

Why We Work for the Milton Hershey School…

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Both Brennan and I have the great privilege of working not only for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, but also for the Milton Hershey School–both started by Mr. Milton Hershey for one great purpose: to educate and provide stability for children in poverty/orphans. After being on duty this weekend as a houseparent, I decided that it was time to educate my blog readers on why the school exists, who Mr. Hershey was, and why you should buy Hershey’s Chocolate products. I’ll try to keep it brief. 🙂

Milton Hershey has become one of my role models and heroes, even though he passed away 37 years before I was born. More than any other figure in history, I wish that I could sit down with this man and just listen to him speak. He only had a fourth grade education (if I remember correctly), and yet he built one of the greatest cities in the world (in my opinion) that all works together for the well-being of children in need. His vision and his compassion were remarkable, and he was well before his time with his ideas and his values.

“Hershey had the genius to develop the chocolate industry in the right place at the right time. His personal convictions about the obligations of wealth and the quality of life in the town he founded have made the company, community, and school a living legacy.”

Milton chose Derry Township, Pennsylvania as the location for his factory because of the rich farm land and the abundance of dairy farms. He soon realized that in order to attract workers, they would need a place to live. So, he created Hershey, PA as we know it today. He built homes, parks, services such as banks, a laundry, a transportation system, etc. so that his workers would have a great life living in Hershey.

Milton and his wife, Catherine, were unable to have children of their own. Both Milton and Catherine believed that wealth was meant to be shared and to be used for the benefit of others; when they realized that they had far too much money on their hands for their liking, his wife suggested that they start a school and make that their family. And so they did. In 1909, they started the Hershey Industrial School and took in orphaned boys to educate them and teach them skills (such as farming) to ensure that they would succeed in life.

Milton continued to grow the chocolate company to ensure that the school would be funded. He also began organizing his other ventures into the Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company (not what it was called while he was alive) to secure additional funding sources, and he separated the chocolate company (Hershey Foods) from the entertainment division to protect the school. Most amazingly, he and his wife loved these children so much that they gave their entire fortune TWICE ($4.5 billion dollars, I believe) to ensure that the school that they founded for orphan boys in 1909 would exist in perpetuity. Today, the school largely operates off of the interest from this endowment, and the endowment is invested by The Hershey Trust.

One of my favorite quotes from Mr. Hershey is this:

“If we had helped a hundred children it would have all been worthwhile.”

During Mr. Hershey’s lifetime, he saw the enrollment increase to 1,000! Today, the school is home to 1,850 students with a plan to increase enrollment to 2,000 in the next five years. There are 159 student homes (each housing 10-12 students). This school is an incredible place and it has changed the lives of thousands of children in the past 103 years!

“Well, I have no heirs – that is, no children, so I decided to make the orphan boys of the U.S. my heirs.” –Mr. Hershey

The students live at the school in student homes, under the care of a married couple (houseparents). Brennan and I serve as “Relief Houseparents”–which means that we serve every other weekend to give the houseparents a much-needed break after being on-duty for 12 days. It is an incredible opportunity to impact the lives of students in a very tangible way.

When you buy Hershey’s Chocolate products, when you visit Hersheypark or stay at The Hotel Hershey (or The Hershey Lodge, or golf at our golf courses, or visit The Hershey Gardens, etc.), you are helping to ensure that his legacy will continue forever.

I realize that Hershey has received some bad (and usually misguided) press lately, and that’s partly why I wanted to share this with my readers. The school has to make choices that are beneficial for the entire student body, and that sometimes means saying “no” to applicants for specific reasons.

MHS has had its struggles over the years as it has tried to navigate the changes in culture and yet still maintain the school according to the Deed of Trust that Milton and Catherine wrote in 1909. The Deed of Trust dictates how the school is run to this day. I believe that the school is even stronger now because of the struggles that it went through in the early 1990’s, and it still is striving to provide the best possible environment for the students in its care according to the wishes of Mr. & Mrs. Hershey.

The mission of the school is still to help children lead productive and fulfilling lives and to carry out Mr. Hershey’s legacy for generations to come. That’s the mission of all of the Hershey entities–including Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. It is wonderful to work for a company that still carries on such an incredible mission! If you are ever in Hershey, please take the time to visit The Hershey Story museum–you will learn SO much about Mr. Hershey and what a remarkable man he was.

If you are at all interested in becoming a houseparent or a relief houseparent for the school, there are ALWAYS openings! You can check out the job postings here. Or, if you know any children who are ideal candidates for the school, you can see information here.

We have both become very passionate about this school and its purpose. When we are there, we are taking care of HIS children, and that is an honor. I am so thankful for Milton and Catherine Hershey!