Hi! My name is Jasmine Hernandez, and I’m a junior here at New Hope Christian College. During my time at NHCC, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity of serving on the Edification Team. Not only do I love the team and working with my fellow students and Pastor Guy Higashi, but I also love that we get to have the experience together of being there for others during their highs and lows in life. As Romans 12:15 states, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” That’s what the desire of the Edification Team is, showing Jesus to others by being there for them. This includes prayer, memorial services, celebrating with those who’ve said yes to Jesus, and visiting the elderly in their care facilities. While I am a student, I am able to navigate situations where I show Jesus to others under the guidance of my professors and pastors.
Since June, I and the other students on the Edification Team have had a Bible study with the residents at Valley West, the health care center. Most of the elderly can’t read for themselves, so we read the Bible out loud to the residents who gather with us as a group. Then we discuss what we’ve read. The residents tell us their thoughts, share what they’ve learned, ask questions, and talk about how amazing Jesus is! They tell us their prayer requests, and we pray for them at the end. What I think is super cool, is that many of the elderly who stop by haven’t received Jesus as their Lord and Savior yet, so we get to plant seeds and introduce people to the Lord as well!
I was sharing my experience of these visits with a woman, and what she stated caused me to value my time at Valley West more than I ever could have imagined. She said something along the lines of, “Imagine you’re really old and have bad eyesight, so you can’t read the Bible on your own. Or, you don’t have the ability to commute yourself to church.” Wow! I really can’t imagine not reading the Bible on my own because reading the Bible is what changed my life. Who knows, that one day a week that we stop by to visit may be the only day of the week that they hear the Word of God. What a blessing it is to share the Word of God with the elderly in this way! After all, Colossians 3:16 states, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” I am so grateful for my time being able to minister while I learn at New Hope Christian College.
“That one day a week that we stop by to visit may be the only day of the week that they hear the Word of God. What a blessing it is to share the Word of God with the elderly in this way!”
— Jasmine Hernandez, Class of 2025
3 Comments on “Bringing New Hope”
I am so proud of you Jasmine! What a wonderful steward of your time you are showing. Your dedication to these lonely and often forgotten Mothers Fathers Aunts and Uncles, means more to them than you will ever know. I have visited them and their gratitude brings joy and tears, for there go I some day. I want believers to be willing to come and lift me up and share their experience and listen to mine in our walk with Jesus. God bless you Jasmine!
Such a great testimony Jasmine. Thank you for your heart to share the word to the elderly as well as praying with them. May God give you all you need to fulfill your mission while at New Hope West Christian College. As well as fill you over flowing as you pour into those who come in contact with you. Praying favor and blessings over your life. Love you.
So inspiring to see the students blessing others!