It was a long time coming!

 

I love telling you in my updates about VOH programs and how they are impacting the lives of the children! But I thought this month I'd share with you a bit about what I’ve been doing with VOH leadership, making new plans and dreaming new dreams - to make sure we will be around to help children for years to come! That's what we did recently!

The VOH leadership team including the Executive Director, his wife (the Director of Development, the 7 National Directors (who lead the 10 centers) and yours truly met recently to plan and dream together.

It was a long time coming! It was the first time we were able to meet in person since COVID. It was my first leadership team meeting. I was so impressed by the amazing spirit of comradery and determination. It was obvious to me that the group of them have had been through many joys, trials and successes together. And it was obvious we shared the same heart - to serve God and care for the children.

The focus was to plan and strategize together into the future. We reflected on the changes that have taken place since VOH started in 1999, did a SWOT exercise of the currently reality, and began to dream about the future. I was able to use my work background and strategic planning experience to join right in and contribute. (Those of you who know me well, know I'm not one to sit back and stay quiet!)

We affirmed the Mission and Vision of VOH remains the same. We still exist to bring holistic care to children so they can become contributing members of society. Our vision still remains that every child will be loved and cared for, and we aspire to bring hope to children in need. But we also agreed, in a rapidly changing world, the "HOW" will need to change. We need to be nimble, creative and innovative to continue to serve the needs of the children in a way that fits with the world today.

We had a time to share challenges the directors are facing and support one another. We prayed together, cried together and laughed together. 

There is such unity.  Everyone on the team is so humble at heart, never make it about themselves, always make it about the children and truly have hearts to serve Him. It was only a short 3 days, but I walked away feeling blessed to be part of a team who so hard working, creative and committed, and that I, too, am able to contribute in meaningful ways.

Proverbs 16:9 says "A man's heart plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps". Please pray that the plans will be His plans and that God will continue to lead and guide us in the direction to which He would have us go. Pray that God will continue to lead us as we go boldly into the plans He has for us and VOH.

We will have a follow-up session later in the year to flesh out more plans and put them into action, but for now I thought I'd share a video of the directors sharing their hearts their thoughts on long term sustainability and what will it take for us to be able to continue to help children for decades to come!