MMS Newsletter Spring 2016

m o u n t a i n m i s s i o n

The Quarterly Newsletter of Mountain Mission School

Spring 2016

Grundy, VA USA Serving kids in need in the name of Christ since 1921.

Far-Reaching

Visions

2015 Annual Report

Lessons in Servant

Leadership

CHALLENGER

The hundreds of kids who thrive at MMS have many needs: shelter, clothing, nourishment, and education.

But the supreme need for each child is love. It’s what gives them security and stability. It never fails to make a permanent impression on their heart and in their lives.

Some of our kids had never experienced a loving environment before arriving at our campus—while others had loving relationships shattered by tragedy. With your help, we are providing a loving home to new kids each and every year…and introducing them to the eternal, unfailing love of Christ.

To remind us all of the core of our ministry here at MMS, we have adopted a verse from I Corinthians as the theme of our new child sponsorship program: “Love Never Fails.”

With our Love Never Fails campaign, we are inviting all our friends to begin thinking in terms of either partially or fully sponsoring the cost of sustaining a child at MMS. For each child on campus, MMS needs around $15,000 to take care of housing, food, clothes, education, medical needs, art and athletic activities.

Our “Love Never Fails” sponsorship program enables our supporters to structure their gift in a way that directly offsets those expenses. Donors who feel led to underwrite the amount equivalent to a full year of student care can give the entire $15,000.

Other donors who are not able to offer the full amount can commit to a portion of the total, with a monthly gift at any comfortable level.

It’s important to note that contributions to this program are not tied to a specific child, but to all our children. This means that your gifts can continue to uphold our entire ministry across all age groups, and therefore need not come to an end when a particular student graduates or is reunited with family.

You’ll be seeing the little “Love Never Fails” badge on much of our correspondence throughout the coming year—and if you are able to help support us in any amount, we will send you your own badge as a reminder of what your gift accomplishes in the lives of MMS kids.

Some of our sponsors received a card from us this spring introducing them to this amazing student. Emmanuel came to MMS from Tanzania…and brought with him an extraordinary musical talent that has blossomed during his time with us.

Emmanuel’s achievements are yet another inspiring illustration of the fact that Love Never Fails.

ON THE COVER

Character • Generosity • Humility • citizenship • Commitment • Responsibility • Compassion

To “train up a child in the way he should go” involves more than just the three Rs. At Mountain Mission School, we recognize that we have a precious opportunity

to cultivate responsible adults. That’s why building leadership skills is a conscious, daily goal on our part.

To help achieve that goal, we have woven several leadership-building activities into daily life at MMS—all seeking to follow the biblical model of servant leadership.

One of those activities takes place early on Wednesday mornings before many teens are even in class. That’s when you’ll find MMS students busy in the soup kitchen at New Hope Christian Church in Grundy.

Minister Bill Neeley, who works with the MMS volunteers in the kitchen each week, says ”we’re in an area where a lot of people need help. The kids understand that…and they’re eager to help. They are a tremendous blessing to us. They help with a variety of things: the crackers and bags, filling the soup containers, and preparing the coolers that go out into the community.

“Once we’re done, we form a circle and we pray for those who go out with the food and for those who will receive it. It’s all about servant leadership. We’re practicing what Jesus taught: he came to serve—not to be served.”

“BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY”MMS kids also participate in other ongoing outreach efforts that nourish our community.

Every month, MMS staff member Ernie Hertzog takes a group of MMS high schoolers to the “Feeding America” food pantry in Grundy. Here they work alongside local church groups to provide food to area residents who visit the pantry seeking help.

“We try to give every high school kid the experience of doing it,” notes Ernie.

“When we ask for volunteers, I actually have to turn kids down—it’s neat to see that they really want to do it, even though it’s hard work.”

MMS junior high students have an even bigger job at a remote food panty outside of Grundy. “It’s a more rural setting,” Ernie explains. “So they pretty much have to head up the whole thing and handle most of the work themselves. It’s a lot more labor intensive—and a lot of responsibility.”

Pastor Bill Neeley with MMS volunteers.

L e s s o n s in Servant Leadership

As much as area residents benefit from the food pantries, Ernie says the benefits to our students are just as great. “Seeing all those needs helps the kids look past themselves. When you see others who are struggling, it takes your eyes off your own struggles. It helps them realize how blessed they are.”

FROM CLASSROOM TO COMMUNITYA cornerstone of MMS leadership development is a daily leadership class for sophomores, juniors and seniors taught by Jess Hertzog.

“We use Dr. Tim Elmore’s Habitudes faith-based curriculum,” says Hertzog, “and we also received a grant from Chick-fil-A for their Leader Academy.”

The Chick-fil-A Leader Academy is a strategic partnership built around a monthly Leader Lab in which students watch a video, do team-building activities, and break into groups to work on concepts like Innovation and Teamwork.

Chick-fil-A store operator Tim Burchfield first saw the MMS choir at a church in Kingsport (TN), then arranged for them to perform at Chick-fil-A’s headquarters in Atlanta. Today he participates in the monthly MMS Leader Labs himself. He has found MMS to be fertile ground for the Leader Labs’ content.

“If you have the right character, you can more easily grasp the leadership concepts—it doesn’t have anything to do with economics or where you came from.” says Tim. “A lot of it is really about the students being able to see themselves as successful, and the school has done a good job of that.”

MMS’s Leader Academy class has just completed its first annual Chick-fil-A funded community impact project, called “Moove for Mattie.” The class helped raise funds for a local girl facing extreme medical expenses by organizing and conducting an elaborate carnival-style event—complete with inflatables, a color run, and sports activities.

Over time, these service projects help MMS shape our students into active, responsible civic leaders…coupled with a servant’s heart.

Character • Generosity • Humility • citizenship • Commitment • Responsibility • Compassion

MMS students learn servant leadership by

helping in a local soup kitchen.L e s s o n s

in Servant Leadership

VISIONSFAR-REACHING

When Sam and Jane Hurley founded Mountain Mission nearly a century ago, they had a vision of providing a sanctuary for any child in need. They might be amazed

to see how the growth of that vision has now reached far beyond the rocky hills of Grundy, Virginia.

The current scope of our ministry was shown last summer when we welcomed orphans from Tanzania through a strategic partnership we’ve established with an orphanage in Tanzania called Teamwork City of Hope.

That orphanage was founded in 2007 by Tanzanian native Dr. John Chacha and his wife Regina, with the goal of providing education and medical care to children in the remote village of Ntagatcha. “We wanted to see them given a chance that they otherwise simply wouldn’t have,” says Regina.

Just over a year ago, Mountain Mission became aware of the challenges faced by City of Hope. Their primary school could only teach students up to 6th grade, leaving children with no way to continue their education. In addition, their orphanage was filling up and needed space to house more children.

After a meeting with the Chachas at the beginning of 2015, we agreed to accept this first group of children from City of Hope. Now those students, ages 8–13, can continue receiving a quality education, and the Tanzanian orphanage has space to take in more children.

“The mission of MMS is so much in line with what ours is. That’s why we really connected,” Regina explains.

VISIONSFAR-REACHING

“I love how they take care of us and they

teach us to know God and to love Him for the

rest of our lives.”-Leah age 16

What our Tanzanian Students

are Saying:

“I have learned how to love other people and to help those in need.”

-Maria age 12

“I love how Mountain Mission School has taught me to treat others and myself.”

-David age 13

“I love how MMS serves God and

the way they help each other.”

-Peter age 13

The strong, Christ-centered education that these students are receiving at MMS will enable them to return to their village as Christian leaders and educators who can help transform Tanzania.

Sadly, on April 16, 2015, Dr. Chacha lost his life in a vehicle accident in Africa. Despite his passing, City of Hope’s mission continues on through Regina, who assumed leadership of the organization.

Josh Peters, our Director of Home Life, says bringing the children here has been “a wonderful first step.”

“We’re trying to continue what the City of Hope is doing for them—trying to put them in a position where they can succeed.”

Regina Chacha says she’s pleased with the experiences of the Tanzanian children since they’ve been here at Mountain Mission School.

“They’re getting a more intense, in-depth training here—just exposing them to so much beyond the little village, allowing them to see what the world is like. They’re meeting kids from all over the world and from all different backgrounds, and yet they can learn to make friends and walk together.”

MMS has been truly blessed with the arrival of these Tanzanian children.

“They’re amazing,” Josh says, “They came in and wanted to learn. There’s such a beauty and sweetness about them.”

MMS may take in more kids from Tanzania in the future, continuing to help the City of Hope in fulfilling Dr. Chacha’s vision of fostering a better future for the children of Tanzania…and Sam Hurley’s vision of providing compassionate care for any child in need.

MMS will enable them to return to their village

as Christian leaders and educators...

Mary Ann DePaolo says that all her accomplishments in life were possible because of the spiritual guidance she received while living and learning at

Mountain Mission School.

After her mother abandoned her family in 1942, Mary Ann and her siblings had nowhere to go. So their father decided to place the children at Mountain Mission School.

“I wouldn’t be alive if my father had not put us here,” Mary Ann said, “It was a blessing in disguise.”

In her 11 years at MMS, Mary Ann developed strong core values that stayed with her for the rest of her life. Now, over 60 years later, Mary Ann’s husband Gerry declares that those values inspired him to include Mountain Mission School in their will.

“The money we have earned does not belong to us,” Gerry said, “God lent it to us and we are just paying it forward.”

Even though she now lives far away in Florida, Mary Ann believes that all MMS alumni should give back to their alma mater.

“Someone cared enough to contribute to help us while we were here. It is our responsibility to make it possible for the children who come after us.”

Repaying the Blessings ofMountain Mission School

See back cover to learn how you, just like Mrs. DePaolo, can become a member of the Sam Hurley Society.

MMS Art

MMS Art

JosiahGrade 4

RebeccaGrade 8

YadelGrade 8

CarolynGrade 11

BikimGrade 10

LeeyaGrade 6

AddyGrade 7

JasminGrade 7

G rowing up in Portsmouth, VA was not easy for Gene Carter. His dad died when he was 4 years old, leaving him and his brother with a mother who became an alcoholic. The boys

then drifted from a boys home to family members in Alabama before ending up at MMS in 1967.

Gene graduated in 1973, thankful for the structure and discipline of MMS, which prepared him to enter the military. In 1974, he married MMS classmate Rita Coleman, and they raised two daughters together.

After 21 years in the Air Force, Gene continued to serve the nation in various ways. In 2005, he became the Executive Director for the Military Family Support Center in Salem, VA. Two years later, Gene became the Founding Board Chairman for the DC Metro chapter of Operation Homefront. He also worked as a defense contractor, managing internet cafes in Iraq and Afghanistan, giving military personnel a way to contact loved ones back home. In 2013, he received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Gene is now retired and lives just outside of Atlanta. He volunteers with MMS as a way to give back to the school that had such an impact on his life. Last November, Gene became the MMS Alumni Director.

“Expressing my gratitude to MMS through my actions gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction,” Gene says.

mountainm

ission school

C O R N E R

Meet Our Alumni Director:

GENE CARTER

ALUMNI NEWS & UPDATES FROM C.A.D.R.E.(The Challenger Alumni Development & Resource Element–

also known as the MMS Alumni Leadership Team!) • REGIONAL CHAPTERS: Our goal is to establish at least five regional MMS Alumni Chapters by April 2021 in areas with dense alumni populations.

• MMS SPONSOR A CHILD PROGRAM: The C.A.D.R.E. committed to fund nine $30/mo. sponsorships this year, with a goal of generating 150 child sponsorships from friends and relatives.

• DATABASE UPDATE: We are updating our contact list and hope to double its size to 1,500 members next year. Please update your info at mmskids.org/alumni/contact-us or by email at [email protected].

• HOMECOMING 2018 AND CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION: We need many willing hands to make these events successful, and we will be reaching out to alumni. Please help make these the most memorable gatherings ever!

Every day, we serve a thousand meals, house 200+ children, and have a dozen

vehicles riding the roads. That’s a lot of food and fuel!

So what does it cost to efficiently operate a home, school and church for 250

children and 50+ staff members? These numbers from our most recent, annual

audit tell the full story.

We do what we do for about $15,000 per child per year, an incredibly low amount

compared to similar enterprises. While we struggle to meet our operating costs

each and every year, thanks to you, MMS continues to operate debt-free and free

from government funding.

2015ANNUAL REPORT FIGURES

Fund- raising

COST OF OPERATIONS 2015 2014 2013

INSTRUCTIONAL 658,347.31 797,129.03 679,853.05

ACADEMIC SUPPORT 134,151.43 134,536.93 129,287.48

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT 927,479.18 961,841.94 948,619.12

AUXILIARY SERVICES 624,637.79 640,667.22 763,234.34

STUDENT SERVICES 141,090.08 192,610.86 192,814.88

PHYSICAL PLANT 1,078,391.78 1,217,962.03 1,369,614.68

3,564,097.57 3,944,748.01 4,083,423.55

52% 22% 22% 4%Home, Health,

& Food Education Support Services

HOW EACH DOLLAR IS SPENT

mou

ntai

nm

ission

sch

ool

1760

Edg

ewat

er D

rive

Gru

ndy,

VA

246

14

Spri

ng 2

016

Find more MMS stories on

For more information about joining the Sam Hurley Society, please contact:Jayne Duehring, Director of Advancement • (276) 645-1457 • [email protected]

T H E

A Legacy of HopeAs Mountain Mission School approaches its 100th Anniversary in 2021, we are ever mindful of our beloved founder, Sam Hurley – a self-made man who started Mountain Mission School with a simple vision of “reclaiming the child.” Generations later that vision continues.

By including Mountain Mission in your will, your own legacy lives...and makes it possible for more children to live a life filled with faith, hope and love.

Will you consider providing a Legacy of Hope by including MMS in your will?

Sam Hurley Society