After 34 years of service to homeschoolers throughout Lousiana, CHEF of Louisiana will be closing down and re-opening as Homeschool Louisiana. I would like to share my personal story with you which will better explain this exciting change. Enjoy!
Matthew 25:35-36 (ESV)
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
When we first started homeschooling back in 2007, my wife and I had a great deal of apprehension and fear as we embarked on this new educational journey. Living in the post-Katrina disaster of New Orleans, good schooling options were few and far between. Even the local Christian private schools were a mess with so many people displaced and school administrators just trying to gain a sense of normalcy as they rebuilt their lives. Despair and frustration were common themes as we explored the educational choices for our young children. As we encountered one dead end after another, we reluctantly resigned ourselves to homeschooling but had no help, no experience, and no community to lean on. Thankfully, God had provided resources and ‘brothers and sisters’ ahead of time! They helped us navigate the curriculum choices, provided fellowship, and offered wisdom with grace. We desperately need help and hope…..not judgment.
Needless to say, after 10 years of homeschooling we have finally found our groove and the dark days are a distant memory. Please don’t read past that last sentence too quickly. Did you get that? We had ‘dark days’ filled with despair, uncertainty, and confusion when we first started homeschooling. Trying to learn an entirely new educational lifestyle is extremely daunting which causes much strife and hardship for many choosing this path. I opened this article with a verse to remind me that as a Christian, one of my responsibilities is to serve others in their time of need. We know about familiar outreach opportunities to the homeless, elderly, inner city, etc. but what about an educational outreach? With the government educational system falling apart before our eyes, we are uniquely positioned and equipped to provide hope, encouragement, and love to the tens of thousands of families who currently homeschool and the untold thousands who are contemplating homeschooling.
Holding Christ’s mandate to make disciples as our banner, we look to transition CHEF of Louisiana to Homeschool Louisiana. This new name will allow us to be easily found through internet searches so we can focus our efforts on Protecting, Promoting and Providing Support for the homeschooling community in Louisiana. We’re excited about the future as we support your local organization and build bridges to other homeschool groups, as well as individual families who may not have access to a local group. We’re enthusiastic about our plans to provide new benefits, new resources, new leadership, new discounts, and new conferences in the near future. We look forward to partnering with you to strengthen your organizations, communities, and families so you can be more effective in raising the next generation of Christian disciples.
Please follow us via our new Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter accounts to stay up to date with the latest news. Our beautiful new website can be found here: www.homeschoollouisiana.org.
Love in Christ,
Christopher Chin
President – Homeschool Louisiana
