A Personal Reflection
How we found community with the Koinonia Academy and People of Hope families
Before finding the People of Hope, Dave and I struggled to navigate our different religious upbringings with our children. I was brought up in a Protestant home, surrounded by charismatic prayer and worship along with a huge community support system. He grew up traditionally Catholic, although rich, lacked community and fellowship. We both believed in the same things and wanted the same thing for our children: to fully know Jesus and have a relationship with him by surrounding ourselves in a community with fellowship and support. “
After coming to Koinonia Academy, we were introduced to the People of Hope by a few different people. We attended a few events and a few prayer meetings. For the first time I found Catholic people that truly lived out their faith and had a personal relationship with Jesus. God softened my heart to the idea of joining and I was inspired, hopeful, and rejuvenated for the Holy Spirit within the People of Hope.
Being in a community of believers that support and encourage you to live a full life has been a huge blessing and a breath of fresh air.
People of Hope offers us the community and faith we were searching for. Having children, especially a lot of children in the world today is an extremely difficult thing to navigate and do alone. Being in a community of believers that support and encourage you to live a full life has been a huge blessing and a breath of fresh air. Our goal is to have Jesus at the center of our family and raise our children to live as Jesus would. The People of Hope has given us the support and accountability to do so.
Coming to Koinonia Academy and becoming a part of the community of People of Hope has changed our lives. It has bonded Dave and I in a new way, where we have come to a common ground in our different upbringings. It has encouraged us in how we raise our children. It has inspired us to continue to be the best versions of ourselves and to continue to live a life like Jesus. We are extremely thankful for Koinonia Academy and the People of Hope.
This article by Emelia O’Dougherty is excerpted from the People of Hope Bulletin, August 2024 Issue. Used with permission.
Top image credit: Photo by Nitish Kadam from Unsplash.com. Free to use under the Unsplash License. Quote from Jeremiah 29:11-12 added.
Emelia and her husband Dave O’Dougherty are members of the People of Hope community in Newark, New Jersey, USA.