Repeat after me

“Repeat after me!

“I’m in the Oak Tree family!

I help to keep it safe.

I’m strong and smart,

Brave and kind,

And loved by God!

“You’re in the Oak Tree family!

You help to keep it safe.

You’re strong and smart,

Brave and kind,

And I love you!”

Every time our elementary kids meet at Oak Tree, we repeat this little mantra. It helps to unify us and remind the kids of their identity as part of the Oak Tree family. This summer, the youngest members of Oak Tree family got extra reminders of this identity at our very first Early Childhood Summer Camp!

Each year, we have parents ask if we are doing a summer camp and this year God provided the resources and capacity to make it possible! For six weeks this summer, we hosted summer camp three days a week for nine kids ages three to six years old. Each day was filled with fun and opportunities for learning and growth. 

• We learned Bible stories about how God made the world and how much Jesus loves us. 

• We read books, practiced our letters, and told stories. 

• We counted, added, built towers, cars, trains, and more. 

• We rode bikes, skateboards, and scooters. 

• We practiced sharing, taking turns, sitting in chairs, patience, listening and sticking together. 

• We had the privilege of celebrating some big wins and grieving some huge losses.

• We worked on using our words to express our emotions and using tools to regulate them.

One of the most amazing things about camp was that the benefits reached far beyond just the things we were able to do during the 5 hours each day at camp.

• One mom was able to get a temporary summer job because her son was at our camp during the week.

• Two moms were able to have extra time with their new babies because their older children were getting time at Oak Tree.

• Because of your support, we were able to hire one of our teen girls as a summer intern and she was such a blessing and is so gifted at caring for children!

• We were able to walk with one of our families when they experienced an unexpected and heartbreaking loss halfway through the summer.

• We were blessed to partner with Reading Wednesdays and have Kiersten come read to our kids each week and send them home with free books!

These are just a few of the amazing things we were able to be a part of because of Early Childhood Camp this summer!

My (Megan’s) favorite moments were those when I saw our kids putting into practice the things we taught them. Each morning our family meetings would start with the same phrase, “Repeat after me!” And there were so many “repeat after me” moments. 

• When a parent told me her daughter had come home and taught her our Oak Tree family mantra. “Mama, repeat after me! I’m in the Oak Tree family…”

• When one little boy reminded me in a moment of frustration, “Ms. Megan, take a deep breath.”

• And the countless times I watched children come around and comfort a friend when they were hurt or sad.

We praise God for these “repeat after me” moments and the many other ways He provided this summer! And we pray that each young member of the Oak Tree family will take the things they learned and practiced at camp and continue to repeat them to each other for years to come.

Celebrate New Team Members!

We are thrilled to introduce you to our THREE newest Oak Tree team members: Clayton, Lisa, and Theaudra!

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"I grew up my whole life around Birmingham, Alabama. I’m currently studying to become a Christian Counselor. I’m passionate about encouraging the men of my generation and the ones to come to pursue the Lord while learning to walk in the masculine role given to them. I’m so excited for the opportunity to serve these Teen Boys at Oak Tree! "

If you've hung out with our teen boys over the last few years, you've likely already met Clayton and know what a gift he has been to Oak Tree. Clayton first connected with Oak Tree coming to volunteer with friends as a teen himself and reconnected with us over the past few years as a consistent volunteer. When it came time to say our goodbyes to Mr. Aaron, I asked our boys what kind of person I should be looking for as we hired someone to take his place and without fail every boy said Mr. Clay! Our boys don’t dish out compliments often, much less all share the same opinions of someone, so I knew right away that this was something special that we should explore. Clayton has already built meaningful relationships with our boys through his time volunteering at Oak Tree and we are so grateful that he now has the opportunity to deepen those connections as he spends more time at the Tree House! 

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Lisa Yeager first fell in love with Birmingham as a Samford undergraduate 20 years ago. After graduate school in Massachusetts, Lisa returned to Birmingham in 2008 and has made it her home with her husband and two young sons. Lisa brings experience as a mother, volunteer, educator and non-profit program director to her new role as Director of Operations at Oak Tree. She longs to see God's shalom unfold more fully in Birmingham and amongst the neighbors we walk with in Gate City.

Lisa was a literal answer to prayer from our very first meeting. She walked into our “lunch and learn” in the fall just minutes after we stopped to ask the Lord to give us a meaningful connection and send the person we needed to help us grow. At the end of that lunch we just looked at each other in disbelief at how specific and immediate God seemed to be answering our prayers! It was clear from every conversation following that first meeting that Lisa not only clearly understood our vision and the complexity of the issues facing our community, but she also deeply shared our passion to be a part of the solution.

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Theaudra Erskine got plugged in with Oak Tree when she moved in directly across the street from us in 2019 and she has been a huge blessing to us ever since! She is a mother to 6 incredible children, 5 boys and 1 girl ranging from K4 to 11th grade. Theaudra was one of our very first Community Advisory Board members who began dreaming with us about our next steps as a ministry, but we also started dreaming about what it would look like for her to join the team in a more official capacity. Through the generosity of Christmas in the Village sponsors we were able to make that dream come true quicker than we expected! She was instrumental in making this year’s event a success and even graduated from a partnering program, Hope Inspired Ministries, right in the middle of the week! You can hear more of her story in her powerful graduation speech below.

Theaudra will continue working with us part-time as Ministry Assistant, helping with community events and children’s programs, but we are praying for the resources to increase her role to full-time very soon (more to come about our entrepreneur dreaming in the months ahead, but if you just can’t wait to hear more and want to make a designated gift to cover start-up costs or her salary don’t hesitate to reach out). Theaudra has a heart to serve, faith that has been tested and proven countless times over, and is a mother figure to far more than just her own 6! It is an honor to have her join the Oak Tree team.

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This is just the beginning, we hope to provide jobs for more of our neighbors in 2023 and for years to come! Thank you for your support and choosing to invest in Marks Village through Oak Tree!

From the growing Oak Tree Team to you, we pray you have a blessed new year!

Thoughts on Advent from the Village

This letter was first shared in an email update sent on November 7, 2022. I am sharing it again here with some additional thoughts out of a desire to share more of our recent experiences with you all as God has been deepening our understanding of Advent in this season.

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Here we are again, the end of another year is quickly approaching. That means our calendars are beginning to overflow as we try to manage all of the holiday activities on top of our already crazy, everyday lives. In the midst of planning for Christmas in the Village and preparing to be out of town last week, I was overwhelmed by the realization of the number of gun violence situations we've had in such a short amount of time. I was torn by the dichotomy of our reality. We plan for celebration and life, while surrounded by violence and death. What are we to do with this tension? How do we press on in this work?

I sat with a neighbor in his grief over losing 10+ men from Marks Village just this year. We talked about how numb we can become, another shooting is just another day. But that it shouldn't be this way, we shouldn't get used to this as normal. We talked about how every person lost to gun violence is worthy of crying out in lament to God.

We celebrated with one of our teen girls who finished her physical therapy from being shot in the leg this summer and in the same week we went to visit another one of our teen girls who's femur was shattered from being shot that weekend. You read that correctly. Two Oak Tree teen girls have caught stray bullets in their legs within six months.

We heard a man be killed in our streets at 10:30 in the morning last month followed by multiple days of excessive shooting. I watched one of our 3rd graders duck behind the brightly colored road barriers as he played outside because a car sped by and he thought there was about to be another drive by shooting. 

At the CCDA conference last week one of the speakers, Daniel Lee, taught on God's anger being the source, the end, and the comfort of our anger.

We should be disturbed, unsettled and angry by the way violence and death are at the core of our culture. We should be angry that our children have had to learn survival skills to avoid being shot in their own homes. We are angry because God is angry about this reality. Our anger is righteous because God is the source. But, God's anger is also the end of our anger. We don't deny our struggles or try to take things into our own hands, but we take our cries directly to Him. We trust that evil will not have the final say, that He will bring ultimate justice, and we accept His invitation to be a part of implementing His righteous justice right where we are - without sin, without retaliation, but fighting back with the stronger weapons of forgiveness, love and peace. The end of our anger is not a passive waiting, but one of faith and action. And finally, He is our comfort in the midst of our anger. The suffering of our community does not go unnoticed. Our savior is acquainted with our grief. 

Gathering with other believers from around the country who are fighting for change amidst the gun violence that has turned our neighborhoods into war zones was a deep encouragement to us, but we lament that such a coalition has to exist within the work of Christian Community Development.

I find a deep sorrow and comfort remembering that the Christmas story doesn't gloss over the violent reality that Jesus was born into. Mary and Joseph had to flee to a far country they did not know in order to protect their child from being slaughtered. Jesus identifies with our community. He is no stranger to our trauma. 

So as we prepare for Christmas in the Village, we invite you to step into the messy complicated reality that we live in. There is beauty and healing and joy here, but there is also pain and trauma and injustice. Both are true. Our God sees both the beauty and the suffering and He has not forgotten us. He is not finished with us yet! This is why we're here and this is why we have the strength to press on. Thank you for your support that allows us to practice the ministry of presence with our neighbors in Marks Village each day. 

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Since first writing this a few weeks ago, another child was killed just down the road from our community. A middle school girl on her way to school in the morning, shot by a stray bullet in the street. Some of our kids knew her and she is sadly by no means the first person in their lives to be killed by gun violence. 

As I was cleaning my house this weekend and arranging my nativity sets I was caught off guard by the image set in front of me. On a candle holder by my front door I place bullets that I pick up when I walk the streets of Marks Village. It’s just one of the rituals I have developed in my time at Oak Tree to attempt to keep myself soft to what unfortunately is very easy to become numb to. If I see a casing on the street I pick it up, put it in my pocket, and each time I feel it there throughout the day I say a prayer for weapons to one day be turned into plowshares (Micah 4:3). When I get home, I place it with the others, a small altar of remembrance where I say a prayer for those who have suffered from the trauma that plagues our streets. It has become a living liturgy of sorts to remind me that our normal is not normal. 

John 1:4-5, 9, 14a

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world… In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

This picture is what advent means to me. The groaning, suffering, broken world is waiting for the day that Christ will return to complete His work of renewing all things, repairing all that has been broken, reconciling us to Himself and to one another. He sees our tears, He hears our prayers, and His love enables us to keep shining His light and doing His work until He comes again. 

As we went caroling on Sunday this photo that I took repeatedly came back to my mind. The paradox of deep joy in the midst of deep sorrow. Oh the unimaginable weight of the emotions Mary must have felt while holding her Son, her Savior. We have carried much grief this year, which is all the more reason to belt Christmas songs at the top of our lungs through the Village! We wage war against the countless obstacles we face each day with our neighbors by fighting on with defiant joy, knowing He has already fought the biggest battle for us.

Emmanuel has come. Emmanuel is coming.

We cry:
come, Lord Jesus, come.

It Takes A Village

Last month we hosted an open house to celebrate God’s provision to allow us to purchase the Tree House (better late than never). You can read more about that HERE.

The rain cleared just in time for us to welcome everyone in for a tour! It was truly a joy to reflect on all God has provided over the last few years through partners like you. Despite the incredible struggles brought on by the pandemic, by His grace, we have continued to grow as a ministry. And it feels like we’re just getting started!

We were extremely excited to announce to this group some of the things we’ve been dreaming up over the last year for the future of Oak Tree! Our first Community Advisory Board has been seriously discussing how we could be good stewards of our resources for the flourishing of Marks Village.

Many of you who have been around since the beginning of Oak Tree may remember that we own a large abandoned warehouse (formerly Bishop sign printing company) just down the street from our beloved Tree House. When we suddenly needed a place to conduct our children’s programs earlier than expected work on that building paused and we began renting our current facilities as a temporary solution until funds could be raised and renovations could take place at the Bishop Building. Things never go according to our time line, do they? Months became years and as ministry grew, and the Tree House felt more like home, the Bishop Building fell to the bottom of the priorities list.

When God made provision for us to purchase the Tree House and make it our permanent home we began to dream again about how that large empty warehouse could be used for the good of our community. We see now that God had a lot to teach us before taking on such a large project! We can always trust His good timing. Our ideas for the space have evolved over the years and we are now incredibly humbled that things are far beyond anything we ever could have imagined as we step into this next phase of ministry.

In April of last year we held our first community meeting brainstorming ideas and listening to the needs and desires of our neighbors. In October our Community Advisory Board was formed and since then we have been dreaming and strategizing together for this space.

What if together we could change the narrative about our community? What if, instead of “Can anything good come out of Gate City?” we heard “Have you seen what God is doing in Gate City?!”

What if we had enough space to have programs for multiple age groups happening simultaneously? What if we had more space and resources to support the entire family and focus on the needs of the adults just as much as the children in Marks Village? What if we could provide jobs right across the street? What if we had family friendly space where community could thrive, feel at home, and feel safe? Together, we believe all of this and more is possible! But, it will take a Village! We won’t be able to do it alone. We will need you to be a part of this exciting next phase of ministry!

Just imagine a “Shalom Incubator” right in the heart of Gate City!

In the coming months we will be working with our Community Advisory Board to sift through all of the ideas presented for the Bishop Building and we can’t wait to present final plans to you. We will also begin to seek out funding to begin our “It Takes A Village” initiative and explore how God will provide to make our dreams a reality!

Next week we invite you to come see what’s cookin’ at the Bishop Building for a fun community BBQ day! We will be sharing all of the ideas we’ve gathered so far, get feedback from Marks Village residents on which ideas are a priority to them, and have an art contest! So, come get a plate, make a donation to our first fundraiser and join us as we celebrate how far the Lord has brought us and where He’s taking us next! We hope to see you there!

REBUILD

Isaiah 61 declares that God will raise up for Himself Oaks of Righteousness to display His splendor and as a result of what He has done, “They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.”

What does it look like to rebuild our community that is so evidently marked by the ruins of devastating trauma? We know that our work must always hold a vision for the next generation, but we also know that it will require far more from us than simple children's programs. That's why we're planning with our neighbors about expanding our work at Oak Tree!

We can't wait to share more with you in the coming months about the dreams of rebuilding that are stirring within our community.

We are clinging to the hope that God has not abandoned His promises in Isaiah 61 and we are striving to be a preview of the Kingdom of God through all that we do at Oak Tree. Thank you for partnering with us in this important work.

What exactly do we do?

Unfortunately, much of our culture has been influenced by individualism resulting in a lack of communal support. At Oak Tree we are getting back to the basics of neighboring. It is too easy to forget that we are responsible for one another and that we are stronger together. That is why we are intentionally relationship focused. We want to know more than just names, we want to know one another’s stories, and write new stories together. 

We acknowledge that we are in a community that has been historically marginalized and has suffered from a lack of attainable resources. Oak Tree serves as a bridge to connect our neighbors with partners around our city to meet a variety of needs that may arise. We know that we won’t have the skill or resources to meet every need in our community on our own, but when we work together, we can make a much greater impact. 

The daily needs that arise from inequity can be overwhelming. While we aim to support our community in every way possible, we don’t want to always remain in response mode. We want to be proactive to create new resources within our community to get to the root of our issues. We aim to expand our capacity so that we can be a part of community development that will not only address areas of need, but will honor the skills, desires, culture, and leadership of our neighbors.

We look forward to introducing you to our Community Advisory Board and sharing more about what we're dreaming up soon! Because our complex issues didn't develop over night, we know the answers won't be quick or easy, but together, we can persevere to create complex solutions. It will take a Village!
 

How will you join us in this work?
PRAY | VOLUNTEER | GIVE | LEARN MORE

RESTORE

We appreciate all of you who have reached out after seeing our neighborhood on the news today. Thank you for being people who see beyond the headlines. You know that hurting souls and complex stories are behind what is being reported and you stop to pray. That means more to us than you'll ever know.

There have been two separate Oak Tree families directly impacted by gun violence just this week.

Last night the entire block in front of the Treehouse was roped off for a homicide investigation. We talked with parents who took their kids out for the night just to escape the sound of gunfire. We watched moms navigating police barriers to get their kids inside of their own front doors for the night. We talked with police to ensure our Oak Tree kids were ok and to get permission to cross the crime scene tape and check on our elders.

Today I listened to another neighbor share her story of surviving being shot multiple times. Exactly one year ago she was released from the hospital and went home to be with her babies just in time for Christmas. She talked about her pain learning to walk again and her constant struggle with PTSD, and how the shooting in her back yard last night made the wounds feel fresh. She shared her testimony of how God miraculously protected her and her friends and how they are still alive today when it seemed impossible. She talked about releasing her anger and trusting God to bring justice. She expressed how thankful she was to be able to shop at Christmas in the Village today and for the opportunity to make new special memories with her babies this year.

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"They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

They will REBUILD the ancient ruins
and RESTORE the places long devastated;
they will RENEW the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations."

Isaiah 61:3b-4

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The hard reality is that this is part of life in the Village. The gun shots ring out so often that we can forget what it's like in other areas of our city. Sometimes we know the person on the receiving end, sometimes we know the person pulling the trigger, and sometimes we know both. And we know that both sides of each story contain generations of trauma passed down.

Most incidents in our community never make it onto the news, so we can quickly forget that this kind of information is a shock to outsiders. We can even become desensitized in our own self-preservation. But then we remember why we're here, and we fight in prayer through tears with our neighbors. Our hearts are broken with them.

“Trauma in a person, decontextualized over time, looks like personality.
Trauma in a family, decontextualized over time, looks like family traits.
Trauma in a people, decontextualized over time, looks like culture."
- Resmaa Menakem

All of this is exactly why the second "root" of Oak Tree is Trauma Informed. Our work would have very little lasting impact and would not be even remotely sustainable if we didn't approach every aspect with a lens of trauma and healing.

We have had times of sweet celebration this week, but that doesn't take away the desperate sorrow. Joy and sadness can, and often do, co-exist.

If you would like to learn more about our Trauma Informed Practices you can find training videos and resources HERE.

Please continue praying for our community, especially our children and those grieving.

How do we do this work?

Our world is broken. God’s original design has been twisted and distorted so that evil and suffering are common. The history of humanity is dark. Our history as a nation, and even more specifically, our history in Birmingham is one of sin, division, terror, and injustice. We can sum this up as traumatic. 

This leads us to the present. Communities characterized by poverty and crime did not come into existence overnight. We must look beyond the surface to find the real story. We must recognize and repent of our complicity in decades of injustice. We must understand that there are no quick fixes or easy answers for problems that have resulted from unacknowledged complex trauma. 

We choose to step into the pain as Jesus did. We first address the reality of trauma in our own lives so that we can walk with our neighbors as they deal with trauma in their lives. Through mutual relationships and trauma-informed programs, we create brave space to walk together towards healing as a community. 
 

How will you join us in this work?
PRAY | VOLUNTEER | GIVE | LEARN MORE

RENEW

As we close out another year and invite you to partner with us through giving, we decided this would be a great time to refresh ourselves on the "Roots of Oak Tree." Why should you give to Oak Tree? How do we use your gifts anyways? What do we even do in Marks Village?

It's all found in the passage of Scripture that birthed our name, Isaiah 61:3b-4

"They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations."

Why does Oak Tree exist?

Because Jesus has rescued us, the GOSPEL is at the CENTER of all that we do at Oak Tree. The good news isn’t meant to stop with us as individuals, it’s meant to transform us collectively to display His good plans for His growing family.

Unfortunately, we have often failed at living out our new identity and the devastation in our city reflects that; but by God’s grace it’s never too late for repentance and faith to be put into action! We are invited to join in His work to “RENEW the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

Oak Tree is a special place where followers of Jesus from all walks of life come together to love God and love our neighbors in both word and deed!

How will you join us in this work?
PRAY | VOLUNTEER | GIVE | LEARN MORE

Welcome New Staff!

In Luke 10:2 Jesus told his followers, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Praise the Lord with us for once again adding more laborers to the Oak Tree team! We are thrilled to introduce to you our newest staff members, Krisy Holland and Jamiya Harris.

Many of you have been following along and praying with us as we not only sought to hire a teen girls ministry coordinator, but also grieved the loss of our dear friend and fellow laborer, Piretta Key. The process was not easy, but the Lord has been so faithful to answer prayers of comfort and specifically provide more than we could ever ask or imagine when it truly felt impossible. We cannot thank you enough for your prayers, encouragement, and generosity to support us over the past few months.

There were so many wonderful applicants for the position that when it came down to it we couldn’t choose just one; there were TWO ladies who we knew HAD to be a part of the team! Both Krisy and Jamiya brought unique gifts and passions to the table that would not only be a great fit with our teen girls, but would strengthen the entire Oak Tree team. We quickly saw that their roles could expand beyond teen girls ministry and would bless the over all ministry in more ways than one.

Together Krisy and Jamiya will be investing in our middle and high school girls, expanding our current programs and building relationships with the girls. Krisy will also assist our team as we expand into our community development efforts (more exciting things to share on this soon), and assist in partnership development. Jamiya will also assist in our rapidly growing elementary ministry.

Help us give a big Oak Tree Family welcome to Krisy and Jamiya!

KRISY HOLLAND - Teen Girls Ministry Coordinator / Community Development Assistant / Partner Liaison

“I’m thrilled to join the Oaktree team in loving, learning and doing life with our friends in Mark’s Village. The Lord has graciously made a place here to display His glory through the skill set He created in me.”

“Hi, my name is Jamiya but people also call me Miya. I’m super stoked to see what God has in store for Mark’s Village. Can’t wait to have so many memories and dance parties with the Oak Tree family!”

JAMIYA HARRIS - Teen Girls and Elementary Ministry Assistant

Seasons Change

Mrs. Wanda would rather we skip this blog post, she always prefers to serve out of the spotlight, but we must have something to mark such a significant transition on the Oak Tree team! This month Mrs. Wanda is resigning from being on staff with Oak Tree. She will continue to serve women and families in Marks Village and serving with Oak Tree on a volunteer basis as she pursues other growing work opportunities with her husband. We want to honor her in this transition and praise the Lord together for the countless ways He has used her for the good of our community over the years.

Mrs. Wanda has faithfully served as a part time Oak Tree team member since the very beginning! She has worn many hats, from teen girl’s coordinator, to women’s minister, to resource manager, starting as a volunteer before Oak Tree was even formed. Her consistency and passion to show the love of God have been a true gift, walking with Oak Tree through every season and change over the years. Whatever needs done, Mrs. Wanda is always first to step up and jump to action. Whenever someone needs prayer or support Mrs. Wanda is there, taking phone calls at all hours, showing up with flowers, ready to encourage and find ways to help.

Mrs. Wanda described her time on staff as an encouragement to our Oak Tree family:

“It has been a pleasure serving the families of Marks Village through Oak Tree Ministries. I am thankful for the personal and spiritual growth and development gained during my time of service. The experience has been rewarding and fulfilling. Working with the team has given me invaluable skills and insight. I am so happy to have been apart of a team committed to showing the love of Christ. Working with Oak Tree has been nothing short of amazing.  

I am excited about the work that God is doing through Oak Tree. I pray God continues to shower the ministry with favor, grace, and mercy as you serve His people. I pray God continues to use the ministry to His glory as you spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and build the kingdom of God.”

Join us as we praise God for the gift of Mrs. Wanda, and for His provision of laborers to continue the work as Mrs. Wanda steps away.

A quote by Mother Pollard always comes to my mind when I think of who Mrs. Wanda is and all that she does for the Kingdom of God, “My feet is tired but my soul is rested.”

Mrs. Wanda, you have taught us so much and continue to be a blessing to each of us even as you make this transition. Thank you for the wisdom and encouragement you have given us on this journey! You live as an example to all. We love you!

We're still growing!

We are thrilled to introduce you to the newest Oak Tree team member, Karina Cortes!

For years now our board of directors have discussed the need to have someone with a social work skillset on staff as we walk with families to overcome the seemingly never ending mountain of obstacles that daily face our community. God has answered that prayer through one of our faithful volunteers! Karina is not only bringing her knowledge and skills to the team, but also her heart for justice and her love for the Marks Village community. Next week she will become a full time team member taking on the role of Development Coordinator.

Interactions with social workers are often marked by extremely difficult circumstances and many barriers can prevent authenticity and mutual transformation. We desire to be a part of changing the stereotypes and fears that come to mind when social work is mentioned. As Development Coordinator, Karina will be a friendly face ready to walk with people in relationship and coaching. We always say that we are a bridge to connect people with resources across our city and Karina will help us be much more effective in this area of our mission.

Karina will also join us in planning for future development projects as a ministry. We are currently dreaming with our neighbors about where we want to see growth in our community. How can we be a part of removing the obstacles we see and be a part of creating access to jobs, therapy, and more opportunities for our kids? We can’t wait to see what God has in store!

Please pray for Karina as she transitions into this new role and all that it entails!

Karina Cortes has been a volunteer with Oak Tree for the past two years. She recently graduated from Samford University with a community development Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. In graduate school she had opportunities to serve in Haiti and Tanzania evaluating child development and teaching women and young girls life skills. She also served as an ESL teacher in Thailand and as a missionary to various countries in Central America and South East Asia. She is very excited to join the Oak Tree family!

Help us praise the Lord for His provision of more laborers and let’s give Karina a big Oak Tree welcome!