The Potter's House Spring 2023 Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE: STUDENT STORIES

STAFF STORIES

PARTNER PROGRAM UPDATE NEW FRIENDS BANQUET INVITE

A Place of Support

Spring 2023 tphgr.org

Letter from Mr. Booy

Some of the most influential people at The Potter’s House for me are…

Mr. Lee, who helped me get out of trouble and cool off. He would kick the ball around with me and we played Heads-UpSeven-Up if we had time at the end of the day.

Christian (TPH Custodian) has been influential too. I've done some things that I'm not proud of, and he listened to me and said that he's made mistakes too. He's always there for me to help me out, and I know that I can depend on him.

Coach Tanner was my basketball coach for B2B, and he focused on me a lot because he saw that I was doing poorly. He would help me out every time he had the chance.

—Aaron

Three years ago, a young student appeared on our 7th-grade waiting list. Aaron had gone from foster home to foster home and school to school over the last few years. In fact, the last school he attended for only three weeks. After much prayer and discussion, we decided to accept this young man for enrollment at our school. The first year was tough. He refused to smile for the first day of school pictures, no matter what we said or how we tried to get him to smile. For almost a year, he would race past me and head to class each morning as I welcomed our students with a handshake and greeting.

Recently, we sat together for freshman lunch at the Hospitality House. During lunch, I asked each student to tell me about one person that has had an impact on them since they've been at The Potter's House. Aaron readily mentioned three staff members that had an impact on him (shared above). I then went on to the next student and as soon as he finished talking, Aaron interjected again and listed three more staff members that made an impact on him—six in all. The Potter's House continues to endeavor to be a school centered on Jesus where everyone is accepted, valued, and loved. We work hard on developing a spirit of hospitality where everyone feels welcome, and no one falls through the cracks. Although The Potter’s House is not perfect, it never ceases to thrill me to see students like Aaron transformed by the love of Jesus and his followers.

In this spring issue, you will read about more exciting stories of our students and staff about how they are not only recipients of grace and support, but they are actively choosing to give grace to others in their school or their workplace. They are true examples of The Potter's House—A Place of Support.

You will be able to meet some of these students and staff members at our upcoming banquet where we'll share additional exciting stories. If you haven’t already, I hope you will consider coming to the New Friends Banquet and possibly even hosting a table on Tuesday, April 25.

Your partner in education,

John Booy Superintendent

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A Home Away From Home Ms. Solis’ Story

Lucero was 14 years old when she left her family and home in Northern Mexico. She had attended Christian schools and loved learning. Being in school was fun and safe. All was well until about the age of 11. The drug war that had been going on in Mexico for decades began to increase in violence, bringing pop-up gunfights, kidnappings, and city-wide curfews.

“When it was time for me to start middle school, there were no Christian education options. Things were getting worse—more dangerous, and the future was unknown. My parents are involved in ministry and have connections in Michigan. While on a ministry visit, someone told my father that if I wanted to come study in the States—they would sponsor me. Out of love, my parents accepted the offer. I continued my education in West Michigan at a good Christian school.

Leaving my home at a young age, so much changed. Things were new and unknown. The culture and language were different, and I did not have my family. But school provided some consistency—it was still school and learning, and we served the same God.

After high school, I attended Cornerstone University (CU). Neither my parents nor I had the finances. It was a struggle and seemed impossible. I shifted my perspective from what was impossible and surrendered it all to God—who makes everything possible. I learned how to trust Him.

In high school and during college, I made friends with students from different parts of the world. My close friends, who were Christians, had similar experiences of surrendering to God. We learned from each other,

did life together, and were connected through the joys and sorrows of leaving our homes to pursue something better for ourselves and our families.

As a freshman at CU, I met Dr. Burgess, a former Potter’s House teacher. I told her I thought I wanted to be an educator. After hearing my story, she said, ‘I have the place for your student teaching.’ But, by my senior year, I had decided that I was not going into teaching.

My mind changed as I did my student teaching at The Potter’s House. For the first time, I was in a place with many different cultures and ethnicities. I loved it. I loved having students who had gone through the same situations as me, like leaving home at an early age. And I also loved having students who had never done that. I liked how different we were. It opened up my vision of the world and God’s kingdom. God reminded me of what He had called me to do.

I became a teacher to be the teacher I did not have. My former teachers were great, but they did not understand that I had to leave my country, my home, because it was unsafe. I felt alone in my story then, but did not know what I missed until I became a teacher at TPH.

There is joy in the fact that I am here and in all the things I can do, but there is lamenting of all that I have missed. My leaving home had to be hard on my parents. When my grandpa passed away in Mexico, I was here.

There is a lament because I now have students who go through similar things. Some of them are 14 or 15 years old–so young. I think, ‘That’s how old I was.’ I can understand what they are going through without them ever having to explain it. There are

things you experience that you can never put into words, but knowing that someone else has lived through it gives a supernatural connection.

There is joy in being able to understand. Because I am a woman from Mexico, I bring a different level of understanding to many of our students. I want them to feel heard, understood, and valued. All that I have lived through has worked together for my being here. Perhaps through my story, they can see the provision of God.

There is a vision in the Bible of all different people coming together to be one. That vision is a reality at TPH. I feel peace and confidence that I am where God has called me to be. In a way, TPH has been a home away from home. It feels right to be here; it feels safe to be here; it feels loving to be here. That is what home is.”

3 Spring 2023

Ms. Solis, High school math and science teacher

Making the Most of the Opportunity Moses' Story

Written by our guest writer, Kate Motaung

If you’ve been around The Potter’s House community for any length of time, you’ve likely heard about Class of 2023 student Lezawe Osterink, better known by his friends as Moses. A two-time D4 Cross Country State Champion and Track and Field State Champ for the 1600m run, 3200m run, and 3200m relay, his name gets quite a bit of attention. But those who know him will also tell you there’s so much more to this young man than his speed.

Despite his athletic achievements, his peers testify that one quality they appreciate about Moses is that he doesn’t let his success get to his head. “Other athletes think they’re so great and you can tell, but Moses stays humble. He’s just chill,” said one student in his class.

When asked what he likes most about being a student at The Potter’s House, he replied, “I like being able to know everyone and the personal connection I can have with the students.”

Having attended The Potter’s House since third grade, one teacher who particularly impacted Moses was Mr. Van in fifth grade. “He was a key person in who I am now. He taught me good traits like working hard,” Moses reflected. “He was almost like a father figure to me during a difficult time in my family life.”

Moses and his younger sister were adopted at the same time from Ethiopia when Moses was about to turn three and his sister was nearly two years old. At the time, he only spoke Amharic, a primary language in Ethiopia. During his first two or three months in America, Moses didn’t speak at all. Then one

day, like the flip of a switch, he started speaking English.

Just three years ago, Moses and his sister were able to connect online for the first time with some of their biological family members in Ethiopia. Despite the language barrier, Moses could tell that his relatives were so grateful for the opportunities that he and his sister had been given in America, and for the success and accomplishments they had achieved. “I could just see that it made them so happy to know that we are doing well.”

Though he doesn’t remember much of his life in Ethiopia, Moses realizes the opportunities God has given him in Michigan and has determined not to waste them. He hopes his fellow students will do the same, offering this advice to his peers: “Make the most of the opportunities you have as a Potter’s House student. Take advantage of all of the chances you have to make connections with your classmates, teachers, donors, and others within this community.”

One of the meaningful connections Moses has built during his high school career has been with Mr. Koster, his teacher and cross country and track coach. “Mr. Koster cares about running a lot, but that’s just an aftereffect of the fact that he just naturally cares about people. He has taught me the impact of creating a positive environment and what it looks like to be inclusive and accepting of others. He treats everyone the same and gives all the team members the same care and attention, no matter how fast or slow they might be.”

Believe it or not, when Moses was in 9th grade, he didn’t even want to be a runner; he just wanted to stay in

shape for basketball season. But God had other plans. Now, with multiple collegiate schools vying for his talents and allegiance, Moses recently committed to attend Michigan State University beginning in the fall of 2023 as a cross country and track athlete. His advice to younger students: “Be open to trying new things. If I hadn’t been open to trying running, I would have missed out on so many opportunities.”

As a Christian student, Moses has appreciated the spiritual input at The Potter’s House, both from organized programs such as chapel as well as the more informal discipleship from staff members. Now that he has a solid foundation, Moses is ready to put his faith to the test at a secular institution. “Part of the reason I chose not to go to a Christian college or university was to be challenged in that area.”

Another aspect of his experience at The Potter’s House that Moses is particularly grateful for has been his friends. “We have a group of really good guys; we’ve been through a lot together. We challenge and push each other, and help each other to be better.”

Recognizing the impact of friend choices for good or bad, Moses encourages his fellow classmates, “Make it a goal to make a strong group of friends. Good guys. Ask yourself, ‘Who do I want to become, and how can I get there?’”

As he looks ahead to closing out his time at The Potter’s House in the spring of 2023, Moses has these words to share: “I would like to thank all of the teachers I’ve had during my time here. All of them have had an impact on me and have helped me figure out who I am.”

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Moses leading the way at the Division 4 boys race at the 2022 MHSAA Cross Country Championships

5 Spring 2023

Photo credit: MLive.com by Ryan Sun

A Mission to Remember

After three years of Covid and being separated from students, teachers at Jubilee Centers International (JCI) were now making a considerable leap, interacting personally with students who lived through the deaths of family members and had only virtual contact with classmates. Life and learning had been challenging. Under stress themselves, teachers persevered through it all, providing love and support for each student. In July 2022, a Mission Team from TPH traveled to JCI to pray for the teachers. Emily Romero, co-founder of JCI (with her husband David) attended TPH through 8th grade.

Kathy DeJong teaches at TPH and is Jubilee’s school board president.

"God made it clear that our main goal that week was to pray with the teachers. We listened to their prayer petitions and praises. In pairs, we prayed for everyone: construction workers, office staff, teachers, Emily and David, the cleaning ladies, the watchmen, and others.

We brought tangible gifts of love, which included 60 Bibles. Bibles are rare and expensive in Honduras.

Students hugged it as though they were hugging a teddy bear. Their faces glowed as they thumbed through the pages. I was reminded that God's Word is a treasure. The Holy Spirit prompted me to ask myself, ‘Am I valuing the Bible as a great gift?’

Evan Post, the Discipleship Coordinator for middle school at TPH, saw this trip as a great opportunity.

“I was excited to hear that Kathy and Sarah were going on this trip. I asked if I could go. Getting to know other PH folks was a blessing. We got along well, laughed, and saw beautiful moments with the Lord. Praying with Jubilee's teachers was memorable. We saw Jesus speak into some people’s hearts.

I shared with the after-school music program students about worship and the heart of a worshiper. I demonstrated how to sing from the Psalms spontaneously. A few students tried it. Afterward, a timid girl shared, ‘I struggle to understand the Bible when I read it, but when we began to sing the words, my heart was touched. I understood what we were

singing.’ The experience encouraged me in my calling.”

While in college Sarah Veenstra studied abroad in Honduras and has since visited family and friends there occasionally. She is the elementary/middle school Spanish teacher at TPH. For her, this trip was unforgettable because she introduced two of her children to Jubilee.

“The opportunity to travel back to Honduras and build relationships with students and staff at our sister school was too exciting to miss. It was a precious gift to share the Bibles and feel the Lord's presence as we prayed together.

My girls were blessed to interact with the students: my nine-year-old said, ‘The students at Jubilee were welcoming and eager to do crafts and games with us.’ A highlight for my eleven-year-old, was spending time with the students, teachers, and learning the language. She taught origami and said of the trip, ‘It was an incredible experience that I will never forget!’"

Phil Cole has been teaching Bible and Spanish at TPH for 24 years. He and his daughter Esther (TPH alumna) were part of the July team.

“In 2016, while on a Two Fish Foundations mission trip in Honduras, I visited Emily and David for a few days. This time I went with my eyes wide open on a scouting trip for The Potter’s House high school’s May/June (MJ) Term. [MJ term is a two-week course for 9th-11th graders giving them opportunities to be challenged as leaders]. It became clear that Jubilee is an excellent destination for TPH’s May/June term–a place to dig in our roots.

Phil Cole, high school Bible and Spanish teacher

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Photo credit: Jubilee Center International

We want to serve in a country where students can be challenged educationally. David and Emily have been in the trenches working hard for twelve years. Their leadership is stellar. I was stunned by how much the teachers struggle to get to school daily, operating under arduous conditions to develop their craft, to never quit, and to persevere. I asked myself, ‘Do I have that level of commitment?’

I was also overwhelmed by Kathy’s leadership. She placed us where we needed to be. I taught a Leadership class in Spanish with 9th graders. My daughter Esther helped with Bible class. They were able to do some dramatizations.

JCI is a school that we want to bless, and it offers TPH an opportunity to stretch ourselves. Laying some foundational pieces for the future with Jubilee excites me. It’s not about us but what God is doing.”

Co-founder of TPH, Mark VanZanten, also serves on Jubilee’s board. He went on this mission trip to encourage the staff. In addition to the powerful prayer time and giving the students Bibles, he summarized the overall sentiment of the team in a recent Jubilee newsletter.

“The image that will remain for all of us is the sheer joy on so many students’ faces as we greeted them in the morning. We were reminded again, that despite the crime, poverty, and despair often felt in their neighborhood of La Era, Jubilee is a sanctuary where their hopes and dreams can be nurtured as they grow into well-rounded, mature followers of Jesus.”

The mission team with the cofounder, David and staff member, Gaby

The mission team preparing for a skit Photo credit: Sarah Veenstra

7 Spring 2023

Photo credit: Jubilee Center International

Strength and Hope in Christ Rosbin’s Story

Written by our guest writer, Kate Motaung

Iclimbed into the car after playing in The Potter’s House Varsity soccer game against Wellspring in September of my sophomore year, and everything changed.

“I guess I should just tell you now,” my mom said. “I have lung cancer.”

I was shocked. None of us saw this news coming. My mom, dad, and I all cried together in the car as we tried to process this new reality.

While I haven’t really talked to a lot of people about my mom’s diagnosis, my soccer coach, Mr. Colago, was super supportive. At our end-of-season soccer banquet, Coach Colago made an announcement about my mom’s cancer and presented all of the players with matching shirts that had my mom’s name on the back, along with her favorite Bible verse:

“Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece.” – Filipenses 4:13

In English, the verse is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

When I told my mom about the shirts, she cried. Even though I don’t talk about it much, we have been very thankful for the love and support we’ve received from The Potter’s House community.

For the first few days after my mom got the diagnosis, I thought about people I knew who had cancer and got mad at God. Then I realized that even though it’s not what we wanted, God is probably allowing this to happen for a reason and it’s not up to me to decide what happens. Besides, I can’t do anything about it— only Jesus can.

I’ve been a student at The Potter’s House since preschool. At the time, I only spoke Spanish. My preschool teachers, Ms. Lugo and Ms. Murray, helped me a lot during that period. They explained to my parents that they could let me go on to the next grade, or they could keep me in preschool for an extra year to help me get better at English and have a better chance at succeeding in the future.

My parents decided to let them help me with English. Even though I don’t always like being a year older than my current classmates, I can see why my parents made that decision and I’m thankful that my teachers cared about me enough to make that suggestion.

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Soccer team at the end-of-season banquet

One significant memory that stands out for me happened when I was in 4th grade. My teacher (then Miss Cantrell, now Mrs. Hoffman) was leading a worship lesson and asked us to write down as many things as we could about God during a certain period of time. When the time was up, I looked at my paper and my mind was blown by how much I had written down about God. I can’t really compare my experience with anything else because I’ve only ever attended The Potter’s House, but I’m thankful that God has used the staff at my school to teach me more about Himself.

As I finish out my sophomore year and realize I only have two years left in high school, I’m grateful for the many lessons I will be able to take with me after graduation. The Potter’s House has taught me to stay on point. I try to always do my homework, and if I can’t do it for some reason, I make sure to email my teacher to let them know. My teachers have helped me stay on top of my work and have also taught me the importance of being respectful—two skills that I know will be useful to me throughout my life.

One piece of advice I’d like to share is this: When you get mad, try not to let your anger define the moment. If you get mad at someone, remember that they might not be here tomorrow. If that happened, I wouldn’t want that to be my last interaction with someone, so I try to let things go quickly, repair relationships, and not hold on to my anger.

As I continue to live with the reality of my mom’s diagnosis, I’m often reminded that only God knows what tomorrow holds. With this in mind, I’m asking Him to help me give it my all during the time I have left at The Potter’s House . . . oh, and I wouldn’t mind getting my name added to that soccer plaque in the hallway.

9 Spring 2023

Partner Program Update Happy Spring!

What a great fall and winter we have had this school year. So many exciting things are happening in The Partner Program and God is working in the most incredible ways. As I shared in our last newsletter, we have a goal of acquiring 8 new partners, per month, for each full month of the school-calendar year. This is equal to 56 new partners per school year. As of March 1, we have 37 students who have new partners. The goal for our upcoming New Friends Banquet is to add 25 new partners. Some of the highlights are as follows:

• We have been able to host 31 individual partner lunches since school started last fall. Additionally, we have had partners visit classrooms and attend school events such as our Christmas concert, sporting events, fall plays, and the spring K-8 talent show.

• Students are working on Easter cards, that were created by our incredibly talented high school art teachers.

• In January, we taped our first two promotional segments with eightWest/WoodTV, which introduced the Partner Program. The response has been very positive and we look forward to doing more in the future. Scan the QR code below to watch our partner program being introduced on the eightWest!

• We are in the process of putting together a brand new partner program video. This will be debuted at our upcoming Partner Day events in April.

Your prayers and support for The Partner Program are such a blessing!

With Gratitude,

Dawne Garvey

UPCOMING EVENT DATES!

• High school Partner Day lunch is on April 14

• K-8 Partner Day breakfast is on April 20

• Our annual “New Friends Banquet” will be held on April 25 at the JW Marriott. Our goal is to have 25 new students receive a partner! This is such a great opportunity to introduce others to The Potter’s House community.

WATCH HERE

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WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR STUDENT

• Attend an upcoming Partner Day Event in April.

• Contact Dawne to schedule an individual “Lunch with My Partner” hosted at either the Hospitality House for 1st-8th grade students or at the high school for 9th-12th grade students.

• Send a birthday card.

• Make a donation to the library for our “Birthday Book Club” in honor of your student partner.

• Contact Dawne to schedule a classroom visit. You can read a story, sit in and observe a class, or bring an activity or a craft.

In

Loving Memory of:

Jon Burman

Marilyn Burman

Terry and Theressa Nyenhuis

Betty Duimstra

George and Mary Brander

Thomas Cousineau

Sharon Miedema Dykhouse

Jack and Marcie Pyper

Jessica Vandentoorn

Jeanette Yeiter

Ethel Parker

Robert and Pamela Faulkner

John Rich

Porfidio Brenda Caballero

Steve and Crystal Deters

Joel and Colleen Hill

Sandy and Deloy Johnson

Bob and Barb Waalkes

Bruce and Julie Waldecker

Perle Vanderkolk

Anonymous donor

Michael and Cynthia Buell

Dave Conklin

Dewayne Coxon

Sherwood and Kathleen Dusterwinkle

Nancy Witteveen

Judie Verhulst

Eric and Barb Verhulst

Craig and Sarah Verhulst

Peter Visser

Anna Berkenpas

Harry and Jane Thomasma

David and Carol Veltema

Craig and Mary Wittenbach

In Honor of:

Jeanne Smith

Catherine Decker

Dan Vander Meer and Kristina Vander Meer

Daniel and Nancy Vander Meer

Richard Vanderweide and Nancy (Erffmeyer)

Vanderweide

Pat Vanderweide

11 Spring 2023

This section list gifts that are donated in memory of a loved one or in honor of someone special. The blue and bolded names are the honoree followed by the donors’ names underneath.

810 Van Raalte Drive SW Grand Rapids MI 49509 tphgr.org

The Potter's House warmly invites you to attend the New Friends Banquet.

Tuesday, April 25