Listening in on a Conversation with God

Covid is not a good thing. But God is always at work, using our circumstances for good. Leslie Tuakalau, BCM’s Bible Club Program Manager, sees the way this pandemic has helped reconnect parents and children, allowing parents to return to their primary role of influence in their children’s lives. “Parents had begun to expect church or technology to do their job, but the pandemic has been an opportunity for parents to teach their children about Jesus. BCM has the privilege of coming alongside parents, to partner with them, to support them as they raise up their children in the ways of the Lord.”

Covid has forced Bible Clubs to operate virtually, with clubs meeting weekly in addition to small group huddles throughout the week. “The volunteers have been remarkable, trying to figure out what’s best for the kids, always willing to go the extra mile to make a student feel special, to let them know that God loves them,” glows Leslie. In the Westside Bible Club, students are encouraged to do something positive each week, like help with a chore, create a piece of art or help a sibling. The entries are submitted to Maria, one of the volunteer leaders, who picks a name out of a hat; the winner receives a pizza for their family.

In one of the other clubs, God has been at work in Michael’s* life. When Bible Club was in-person, Michael was constantly demanding attention and it was difficult to work with him. Now that Bible Club is virtual, the leaders are able to give him extra attention and have learned so much more about him: his love for animals and desire to be a vet, his knowledge and love for cars. He has bonded with the volunteers as they have answered his many, many questions and they are excited to see how God uses him as he grows and matures. Michael even invited one of the volunteers to come to his house so he could help train her dog. During her masked and socially distant visit, he helped train her dog to sit and do tricks.

Engaging with the students in prayer has been another of Leslie’s highlights. “One of the students who is new to Bible Club is willing to pray for the group and when she prays, it’s like listening in on her conversation with God, like she’s really having a chat with a friend.” During the huddles, students focus on a scripture in their prayer journal and Leslie is constantly touched by how much gratitude they have, even in the midst of a challenge like Covid. “I love being part of training them to be thankful to God, even in times of struggle.”

As we head into 2021, there are still many challenges due to Covid. “I am constantly thinking about the students, how can we be a listening ear, how can we be responsive? During this time of isolation, making sure the students are heard is especially important. The students spend so much time online, and I want to make sure we are not just drilling God’s Word into them, but being a living example of God’s love, bringing hope through relationships.”

*Name changed for privacy

Graduates Giving Back

While there were no large family gatherings, parties with friends or dinners out, we celebrate because Rosie just graduated from UC Merced this month with a degree in Computer Science and Engineering!

Rosie has been part of the BCM family for many years, but Covid created a new opportunity for her to give back. Rosie was preparing to finish up her final semester at UC Merced when she heard that all of her classes were going online. She decided to move back home to the Bay Area to be near family, and that’s when she got a call asking if she might be interested in a part time job at BCM. Rosie said yes and jumped into the world of robotics and STEM offerings at BCM.

Since September, Rosie has been coordinating three STEM offerings at BCM: Lego Robotics for elementary and middle school students, the high school FRC team (First Robotics Competition) and Innoverge, a hands-on STEM program for elementary students. As coordinator, Rosie makes sure that everything runs smoothly. This involves communicating with both parents and coaches, monitoring Covid protocols, making sure registration forms are complete, gathering supplies, organizing zoom meetings and more.

Rosie’s first introduction to technology and coding came through BCM, where she competed in the Technovation Challenge as a freshman in high school as part of the EPA Chica Squad. She never imagined she would come back and be part of introducing the same topics to BCM’s current students. “It’s been cool to see everything come full circle,” says Rosie. She’s been impressed with how independent, knowledgeable and invested BCM’s current high school students are. This fall, each student was supplied with minimal robot parts: wheels, a motor and wire. With the virtual support of their volunteer coaches, they each built a robot to compete in a circuit and drag race competition. One used a shoe box, another a coffee cup. “I was impressed with their creativity and knowledge of robotics; they all had a functioning robot for the showcase.”

Working with Innoverge, an interactive workshop that introduces elementary students to STEM topics, has also been a highlight for Rosie. She enjoys helping students in-person as their virtual instructor guides the weekly activities. Many of the students were shy and unsure at the beginning, but once they opened up, they were eager to learn each week. One student exclaimed at the end of a session, “What’s next, what’s next?! I’ll be sure to be here next week!” She has loved seeing the students come up with ideas and suggestions, whether studying mechanical engineering to design and build a roller coaster or learning computer science to code a greeting card. Each week she gets to experience their joy and excitement in person as they see their projects come to life.

God has been at work in Lego Robotics through the work of a dedicated team of volunteer coaches. “I am amazed at the commitment of the coaches; it’s a big commitment and there are so many great coaches working one-on-one with the students.” At the start of the season, everything was virtual and one student was especially frustrated and kept getting stuck while working on his robot. He and his coach decided to meet outdoors at BCM, and Rosie was amazed to see the frustration transition to excitement as the student received the support he needed to build and program his robot. The student and coach developed a significant relationship, the student even inviting the coach to his home as an expression of how meaningful their relationship had become. Given the lack of in-person interaction during Covid, this coach’s investment was both technically and relationally impactful.

“I’ve seen God at work through the coaches and want to say a big thank you to all of the coaches – without them these programs wouldn’t happen.” Rosie is grateful to be part of providing in-person programming during a time when most students are at attending school virtually. She also loves helping spark a joy for science and looks forward to 2021 and being part of more moments of creativity, learning and excitement.

Do You Know the Martinez Family?

By Jordan Dennen

“BCM is not a program to me, it’s family. Period.”

BCM parent Lea Martinez and her family have endured enormous tragedy over the past several years. Lea lost her dad in 2014 and her husband in 2016. In the midst of that, she also became the guardian for her two young grandsons. In 2017, Lea’s son Austin was in a bike accident and during treatment he experienced a loss of oxygen to his brain. Lea spent the next nine months by Austin’s side in the hospital and in rehab as he dealt with multiple surgeries, paralysis, and loss of speech. When Austin finally returned home wheelchair-bound in 2018, Lea became his full time caretaker. In 2019, Lea lost her oldest daughter, who was only 26 years old and the mother of Lea’s grandsons. In early 2020, Lea’s mother began treatment for cancer and Lea took on the responsibility of managing her appointments and care.

During these years of incredible hardship for Lea and her family, two of Lea’s six children as well as her two grandsons attended BCM. Among the four of them, they have experienced nearly all of BCM’s programs! From receiving academic support in Kidsmart and CREATE Studios, to growing spiritually and building community in Streetworkz, LiT, and Bible Club, to the Robotics teams and various summer programming, the Martinez kids have become beloved participants in all of BCM’s programs.

Lea knows that God placed BCM in her family’s life in perfect timing. She remembers years ago, before the death of her father, asking God for a new spiritual community. Sure enough, God led her to a church and to BCM, two communities that would be her lifeline through the storm that was to come. “It just blows me away when I think about how God provided for us,” Lea shared. “The relationships, and everything that BCM has been for us, I look at it and it awes me. It was absolutely ordained by God.”

Lea, who admits she is a “grizzly bear” when it comes to protecting and caring for her kids, was hesitant to trust any program with her children. It was Austin’s 3rd grade teacher, who volunteered with BCM at the time, that suggested Lea look into BCM. As skeptical as she was, Lea trusted this teacher and knew she genuinely cared for her kids. So, she decided to give BCM a chance. Lea wasn’t disappointed. “I was met with fantastic people and could see how much they really cared. They recognized my kids were special and it was an instant community.” Lea took comfort in the ways she saw BCM impacting her family. Her children and grandchildren “latched on” to BCM’s staff and volunteers and built real relationships.

"It takes really special people to see a kid hurting and not give up on them—to know that how they act isn’t coming from an awful place but from a hurt place,” Lea says.

Streetworkz and LiT staff connected with Austin and Lea’s daughter Carmella, and truly saw their unique personalities and needs. When Lea’s grandsons were old enough, they entered KidSmart and found similar support and love from the staff and volunteers there.

"The biggest thing that sticks out to me about BCM is how God’s love shows up there. In a world that so constantly changes, BCM is like a little island, a village of God’s love. It’s honestly hallowed ground. BCM is different from any other program because it’s saturated in God’s love, and that love is tangible and visible. Everybody that serves at BCM is there because of their true commitment to show Christ and love kids. That’s hard to find. You can’t fake that! How could you go wrong when you start the recipe with God’s love?"

Lea was so impressed at how deeply the adults at BCM cared for her children. “My kids would come home and tell me stories of the volunteers and staff and tell me what they liked about them. I could tell they were really connecting to these people and also that my kids were being loved for who they were. All these relationships just kept evolving and were so genuine.” Lea came to rely on the program managers to offer emotional support for her kids when things were hard, handle behavioral issues, and provide academic support. As relationships grew, several BCM staff and volunteers became like aunts and uncles to the kids. Lea found she could partner with them as she parented, and truly considers them family. She says, “I love that my kids are experiencing what it feels like to have a village around them and seeing all these people coming to BCM from different places and building relationships.”

When asked what BCM means to her, Lea couldn’t help but respond, sometimes through tears, with overwhelming gratitude.

"BCM hasn’t just impacted my kids, it’s impacted me. BCM is my extended family.

Throughout everything in my life in the past seven years, every step of the way, BCM has been a constant support. I wouldn’t have been able to weather this storm had it not been for all the ways BCM loved on my family!

Every staff person and volunteer that knew my family, and even some that didn’t, were so willing to do whatever they could to help: visiting me almost every day in the hospital, bringing meals, picking up my kids and taking them to school, financial support, sending cards and words of encouragement, and so much prayer. I felt prayed for every moment, and it was angels surrounding us. I’m crying just remembering...I get pulled right back into that time and how blessed I was. God showed so much favor in the midst of a horrendous storm. I can count the blessings that came hand in hand with that storm. This community has been an absolute abundance of support for us. It’s never failed. BCM is absolutely Godsent."