As we closed out the year and stepped into January, families continued reaching out in moments of real vulnerability: urgent hospitalizations, housing instability, chronic illness, and seasons where parents voiced what many of us hear often: “It just feels like one thing after another.”
What has stood out most over these past two weeks is the speed, steadiness, and heart with which our staff and volunteers responded.
Urgent hosting needs were met within hours, sometimes through tag-teaming host families across churches. Multiple congregations coordinated weekly hospital care for a child receiving infusions. Community Friends stepped in to provide consistent presence for a single mom who needed connection as much as resources. A mom facing homelessness and addiction continued moving toward reunification while her son was safely and lovingly cared for.
Behind the scenes, this meant a lot of quiet work: listening well, following up even when community offices were closed, resourcing families who may or may not circle back, and holding space for parents while outcomes remain uncertain. It also meant serving families while carrying personal grief, shifting schedules, and trusting God to meet needs when capacity felt thin.
So much of Jesus' ministry was relational, and deeply present. He noticed people others passed by. He listened. He stayed. He met practical needs without spectacle and offered dignity before solutions.
In many ways, that’s what we see happening here. Not grand gestures, but faithful presence. Ordinary obedience. Showing up again and again to love people right where they are.
This is the work. Not flashy. Often unseen. Deeply sacred.