Meet our Grace Giving Captains

My name is Rachel Seiler, I teach writing to children on the South Eastside of San Antonio who have disabilities. My “why,” or my purpose goes beyond the walls of the classroom. Most of my Scholars live-in poverty, and face challenges I can never fully understand because my experience is far from theirs.

But my why or purpose is Jesus, and he knows their challenges intimately. His life is what gets me out of bed in the morning and gives me the strength to love my scholars on the hard days. 1 John 3:17-18 says, “but whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of god abide in him?”

This is Sharon (top). I met Sharon in Uganda while working with a non-profit organization. Sharon has Cerebral Palsy. Sharon told me her future seemed bleak, but she knows the love of Jesus and gave away that love with hope. Sharon is my why.

This is Ayumi (bottom). She was a former student of mine. Ayumi had a condition called Primordial Dwarfism. She passed away two months after this picture was taken. She was 22 years old. Ayumi knows Jesus. Her heart for God changed my life. Ayumi is my why.

Every one of my scholars are my why. I don’t know what it is to go hungry. To fear for my safety. Or to feel unloved. To not have more than enough. But I do know grief and God has brought me through many physical and emotional struggles. I was born with many health concerns and abnormalities including missing organs and organs in the wrong places. Because of Christ I have been brought out of darkness, out of sorrow, into light, and into joy. Philippians 1:21 is my why.

I am inspired to join Our Father’s Kingdom Services as a Grace Giving Captain because I want to be a part of transforming lives out of poverty, crisis, and hopelessness into the lifesaving love of Jesus!  This passage in Luke 14:21-23 is my why. It says, “Go out quickly… bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame… so that my house will be full.”