As a part of our vision to reach the least-reached people groups with the gospel of Jesus Christ in the DMV region, our church has identified Bailey’s Crossroads as a community full of people from the “ends of the Earth.” Daniel and Grace, our current Cross-Cultural Outreach Residents, have started a program called Study & Shine to provide academic support for kids in Bailey’s Crossroads as a way to meet a practical need while building relationships in an effort to make Christ known. During the school year, Study & Shine meets on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5pm-7pm to help students with their homework and provide a safe, loving space. Daniel and Grace are looking for volunteers to help in the 2026-2027 school year, so please use the button below if you’re interested! Contact Daniel or Grace via email for the training materials before signing up. Study & Shine begins Sept 2 and will meet until Nov. 19th.
Looking Back at the Summer
God’s kindness and power were clearly on display to us this Summer. The first week we visited the park, we were understandably met with suspicion. Who are these people? Why did they bring all this stuff? Through the power of prayer and snacks, however, we slowly began to build trust with the community. Fast forward 8 weeks later, and kids spot us from a mile away and begin gathering around before we even make it to the park. Moms, dads, and grandmothers smile when they see us and ask how we’re doing. Kids ask if we brought the 6-7 card game and if Daniel will be doing any magic tricks. In such a short time, we have been welcomed and loved by our neighbors, and it is clear that God has answered our prayer for quick trust and community acceptance. Of course, we must express a deep thanks for everyone who came and volunteered. Not only did you make each night logistically much easier, but you showed the love of Jesus to our friends who desperately need it. Thank you for all of your prayer and hard work this Summer.
Looking Forward to Fall
Update from 8/13: We have exciting news! As many of you know, we have been praying for a space to meet this Fall. This week, our apartment management approved our use of their community space at a heavy discount. Praise the Lord! We toured the space this morning and it is beyond perfect for our needs. With this approval, we have begun applications for Study & Shine! Currently, we have 4 completed, and 11 outstanding applications that we expect to be completed. As we continue to offer applications through next week, we could have even more! As we strive to provide a quality program, we want to maintain a 1:3 tutor to student ratio. With the way our program is set up, half the students will be receiving direct tutoring at a time, so with our current numbers that means we need 2-3 volunteers a session. Please see the above form if you are interested and consider joining us! Also, reach out to Grace or Daniel via email for training materials.