I (Kim) am keenly reminded quite often how our pasts can come back around. That is definitely a loaded comment. Of course, the negative parts of our pasts can. We can think of them and be angry or upset or be controlled by them. Regardless our pasts shape us for better or worse. People also shape us and our paths cross with many people along the way. I have been aware of that this month as we have had visitors from our past. We haven’t seen them since our time at North Park University, almost 13 years ago. We went to nursing school together. They have been supporters and encouragers for quite some time.
We have seen a lot of people from our past who have supported and encouraged us from the beginning when our ideas of a clinic and home were just that, ideas, dreams, what we would say “a calling”. Support and encouragement may seem like simple words. We use them a lot. But we don’t take them for granted or use them lightly. When we first started talking about this ‘call’ or dream that we felt we were supposed to do with our lives, some people came out of the wood work to support us. Some, l’m sure thought we were crazy, which is understandable. Some days WE think we are crazy! But whether from our past or people we don’t even know yet, the encouragement that we receive and the support given some days is overwhelming. We are shown so often through this encouragement that we are where we are supposed to be. Although days are hard and yes sometimes we think we are crazy, that encouragement we receive gets us through. The support we receive keeps us and the Santiago Partnership going. This is the time for new beginnings with the Santiago Partnership. The clinic is open for over a year and the home for at-risk children for 2 months. We have many friends who are part of these new endeavors. At the same time, as we receive visits from our previous connections (Indiana Wesleyan University, North Park University, Northwest Covenant Church, etc..), we are reminded of all our friends from the past who help make this project possible.
We are thankful for our past and we look forward to our future and the future of the project and the Santiago Partnership.
The Santiago Partnership