by Jarrett Meek, Pastor/Executive Director
It didn’t take long for me to recognize something special in Megan McDermott. It was the spring of 2007 and Mission Adelante still held its main kids outreach program (Kids Adelante) in my house. Megan arrived as a new volunteer that trimester and her immediate connection with the kids was evident. She loved kids from all places and they loved her! Her natural gifts and formal education as a teacher combined with her experience studying abroad in Costa Rica to produce a super-volunteer. About a year later Megan and I began talking about her participating in our first summer internship, and then the following year she joined our staff on a full-time basis.
I’ve always defined “calling” as something you can’t NOT do: a compelling sense of urgency about a cause that aligns with your gifts and talents. Calling is a beautiful, painful, fulfilling, gift from God. I saw the marks of “calling” in Megan’s life from early on. Though nobody can define calling for another person, I can remember reflecting back to Megan what I was observing in her during those first couple of years. The Lord was clearly working in her life in powerful ways!
Twelve years have passed since Megan first stepped into the lives of kids from our community, as a volunteer. We’re now celebrating her TEN YEAR work anniversary at Mission Adelante! Over these 10 years, Megan has mentored, guided, comforted, taught, and loved many children from many places. She has walked with kids as they’ve become youth and into young adulthood. She’s attended weddings, quinceañeras, graduations, and has even been present in the hospital room as one young mother gave birth to her new baby. When I was thinking of a verse that described Megan’s ministry at Mission Adelante, 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 came to mind:
“But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”
Megan is a gift to all who know her. Thank you, Megan, for your faithful service to the Lord in our community, as a member of our staff, over these 10 years!
