This weekend, I had a chance to give one of my dearest childhood friends, visiting from Philadelphia, a tour of CHA. Halfway through the tour, he turned to me and said, “It must be so nice to have this kind of community in your life.”
See, growing up, he and I – along with several others – were like brothers. We went to school together, played sports together, went camping together, and made music together. He understands what a community looks like. And as a result, I know he also clearly understands what he’s missing by no longer being a part of a community like the one in which we grew up.
In 2023 the Surgeon General famously claimed that the United States is experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness,” stating that “even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.” And this still remains an issue in our post-COVID world.
I’m a good case study. During COVID, I was a bit of a lonely wreck. My family had recently moved back to the States from Taiwan. We found it difficult to connect with a church family. We moved twice as we sought to find a home, and our kids struggled to find friends in the sea of their public school peers with vastly different worldviews and interests. And then we toured CHA.
“Dad, that school feels like home!”
My kids were right. Our time at CHA has been marked by deep and lasting friendships. CHA is not a community; it’s a family.
In the coming week, we’ll be highlighting what our current and former CHA parents, students, and faculty have to say about CHA as a family. In short, a school is a truly unique place to come alongside other Christians as we share the goal of raising our kids in the Lord.
- CHA families cheer together for our high school volleyball kids at Neon Night.
- We sing together at the GO! Week commissioning chapel.
- We fast and pray together for our kids’ love for the Lord.
- We spend the night in an RV, smoking meat together for the Family Fest BBQ.
- We stack chairs together after putting out the fires from S’mores Night.
- We set up snacks together for high school students during finals week.
- We cry together when a student in our kids’ class is having a health crisis.
I love CHA because we are a family. If you’re reading this and aren’t a part of CHA’s family, I’ll be honest: you’re missing out.
If you are already a part of the CHA family, would you also consider supporting our school this year for Coinucopia? Our goal is 100% participation, and this is one way we can show our gratitude for the wonderful blessing CHA is in our lives. Whether a big gift or small, join in and click here to give!
—J.T.
