Honors For One of Our Own

What has become a cherished legacy of service at New Life Christian School is once again producing a whirlwind of activity and results, as a team of staff and students, led by longtime team leader Dr. Sarah Hutter, makes final preparations to write another chapter in this meaningful story. For over three decades, it has been our privilege to live out a portion of Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 25 by going to “the least of these.” Originally, we partnered with Youth With A Mission to serve among some of the neediest communities in Northeast Brazil. Through that experience, our eyes were opened to the great needs and challenges in our world, and our hearts were opened as we met and responded to each child by name. Circumstances have changed our destination, but our mission remains the same. Internationally, we are now working with the Basco School and Orphanage in Africa. Nationally, we continue our partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, responding to disasters here at home. A vital part of each mission trip is bringing new clothes and shoes for every staff member, student, and younger child. We also provide additional support by purchasing food locally and participating in much-needed infrastructure projects through both our labor and our financial support. We are deeply grateful to all who have contributed to this ongoing effort. Just as important is the opportunity to encourage the staff and simply spend time with the children—tutoring them, playing with them, listening to them, and encouraging them. The remarkable outcome of each trip is that, after the inevitable tear-filled goodbyes, we find ourselves equally encouraged by renewed and new friendships, eager to return as soon as possible and write yet another chapter in this legacy of service. Part of that legacy is our pattern of earning the money to go, and we want to thank the local businesses that have extended themselves to support that effort. We also want to thank the community at large for your support through our many fundraisers. Now, as we are in final packing mode, trying to use every pound of allowed suitcase space as profitably as possible, we are eagerly anticipating next Monday, when we hope to depart from Washington Dulles Airport, travel through Accra, Ghana, and make our way to what has become our home away from home: the Basco School and Orphanage, deep in a rural setting. For the first-timers, even the ride to Basco is an adventure, but that quickly fades as we are reunited with more than 140 wildly excited children, immersed for the next three weeks in a sea of celebration.

The New Life Christian School 2025/26 girls’ basketball season was one of overcoming the challenges of youth and inexperience. Following last year’s most successful season in our history, which culminated in the Small School Division NCSAA Invitational Championship, everyone realized that this season would be an uphill struggle. Returning only one starter from that unprecedented 2024/25 team would necessitate our roster to be filled with young girls with mostly limited basketball experience. Fortunately, the one returning starter was veteran point-guard and high scorer, Marci Hutter. Without a cohesive, experienced cast of teammates around her, Marci’s resume was expanded to assume a more extensive role as leader, mentor, and encourager to her new teammates with inspiring results. This year’s team finished with an impressive record of 16-1, including wins over some perennial excellent teams. The culmination of the season was a highly contested, nail-biter championship game over the Rochester Rapids, 58-52, leading to the Greater Finger Lakes Christian Athletic Association Girls’ Playoff Championship, which also secured all-star team honors for Marci, and teammates, Naa Shormeh Hanson-Nortey and Lovelina Obeng. The teams’ hard work and perseverance paid off in a triumphant finish to the season.