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The Right Gift at the Right Time

Kim Leyva started classes her first year at �Ļ�ӰԺ and then faced an unexpected crisis: "Your account is past due."

She couldn’t believe her eyes. Was it true? Kim Leyva, known as Kimmy, had started her first semester at �Ļ�ӰԺ weeks earlier. She read the email with alarm. “Your account is past due by $5,000.” 

Kim had longed for the Christian community at �Ļ�ӰԺ throughout high school. Getting accepted and enrolling had been so exciting. But suddenly her dream was ending before it had barely begun.

Despite her generous financial aid package, she faced the reality of a shortfall that day. “I remember sitting in my dorm room wondering, ‘What am I going to do?’”

Kim had experienced significant challenges before. 

Born in the United States to a pastor/missionary father and a devoted mother, Kim moved with her family to Mexico at a young age. Her parents returned to their hometown to share the gospel with family and friends.

At the age of 11, Kim went back to the United States to live with her aunt. She started sixth grade without knowing a single word of English and reached fluency in a year. “I’m going to be a teacher, and I know how much there is to teach,” she thought. “I don’t know how I learned so quickly.”

Just as she put all her efforts into learning English, Kim tried everything she could think of to stay at �Ļ�ӰԺ. She pursued jobs and tried to secure more student loans. “I was also applying to other colleges.” She knew she needed to look elsewhere and say goodbye to �Ļ�ӰԺ, her dream school.

At �Ļ�ӰԺ, community shapes your life.

In the midst of this challenging season, Kim found comfort in the love and support of her friends. “I always wanted to belong to a Christian community with people who asked, ‘How is your heart? How are you doing today?’” The friends she’d been waiting so long to find sat on her bed and wept with her.

She made a difficult decision and told Sean Smith, director of financial aid, that she had to leave �Ļ�ӰԺ. He remembers that day. “I cried with her, prayed with her, and then sadly watched her walk out of my office.”

A donor steps into the gap.

A few days after meeting with Kim, Sean received a call from a donor who was committed to �Ļ�ӰԺ and wanted to fund a scholarship for an earnest, hard-working student who needed help. Sean realized it was just the right gift at just the right time. 

Kim remembers getting the call from Sean. “Can you come by my office for five minutes?” He remembers it too. “Telling Kim about the scholarship that allowed her to stay at �Ļ�ӰԺ was one of the most satisfying moments of my career.” 

Kim could hardly believe the answer to her hopes and prayers. “I remember crying all the way to class. I called my dad on the way, and I told him I could stay. We cried together.”

Because of the generosity of donors, Kim stayed and pursued her dreams at �Ļ�ӰԺ. Through persistent hard work, she completed her degree in three and a half years. This spring she will earn her elementary teaching credential. When she graduates in May, she’ll be ready to start her career in education immediately.

By supporting �Ļ�ӰԺ, you help change the world by preparing students to serve and lead in all spheres of society. You transform lives like Kim’s.

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