If you attended our banquet last night, you heard Tim Jr. mention that we are in the initial stages of looking at what it would take to establish a small private school at NYACC (our building at 12th & Chicon St.)
Over the last 15 years, Mission: Possible! Austin has noticed a trend in our time spent with children. The organization was founded when Tim Sr. and his wife Cindy fell in love with the inner-city children they spent time with through Mission: Waco. They began seeking out children in the same situations here in Austin.
From there, God began to grow and mature the organization to include opportunities for the children to escape their home environments for short periods of time, to experience his love untainted, and freely. Thus the Nikos camping ministry was born. The word “nikos” means ‘a means of victory.’
“The Tim’s” and I sat down to begin planning our Nikos summer camp a month or so ago. We discussed our purpose and calling, changes we had seen in the lives of some children dear to us, and the burden we felt to be able to invest more significant time in their lives. We looked back at the hours spent in the life of a child on a yearly basis, and noticed how God was bringing us up and nearer to their hearts -from 40 or so hours a year in the housing developments years ago, to over 2,000 possible hours a year through camps, middle school programs, after-school, mentoring, and monthly CrossTrainers programs.
What kind of impact could be made in 8 hours each day, 5 days a week?! What kinds of generational changes might we see? Could these children be part of the purpose God has in our strategic geographical placement, on the “worst corner of Austin, Texas?”
We called around 20 of the most qualified people we could think of to help us determine what exactly we were talking about, and what it would take to get there. Some have experience with children in a church setting, some are public school teachers, one was on a school-founding committee. Some had attended private schools, taught at private schools, low socio-economic area schools, or home-schooled their own children. We had perspectives from bilingual education, special education, TEA policy knowledge, and the Texas Home-school Coalition.
Imagine a small school, starting with preK, Kinder, maybe 1st grade students. 8 students per class. These classes would be made up of children from East Austin communities, and children from families who wish to invest in other families – and instill in their own children The culture of The Kingdom.
Our school would be all about “Cultivating the culture of The Kingdom” – God’s purpose and intention in relationship to mankind, and mankind’s relationship and fellowship to one another. This school would be different from any other Christian school we’ve found -with focus on a Kingdom environment and foundation infused with exceptional academics.
The children would be taught with an eternal view (Kingdom perspective) of the world and education. They would learn the heart of God the Father for them:
He is real.
He can be known.
He can be heard.
He can be trusted.
They might spend 2 days a week learning outdoors at Pole Cat Hollow, 15 minutes away. They might participate in some of our art ministry, drama ministry, after-school program, or mentoring. They might grow to love learning as they grow to love Our Teacher, our Father. Believers around the city might have the opportunity to invest in the next generation in phenomenal ways…
Would you pray about these possibilities with us? We have felt the promptings of The Spirit to initiate these things. We need clear direction for a time-line. We need volunteer staff (teachers, mentors, food service, janitorial…) We need qualified leadership, and families and children who share the same dream to participate.This possibility has potential like none we’ve ever seen!
We entrust this process and these children to The Faithful One, and await with expectation to praise Him for the miracles we may see…
