Andraea was getting bad grades at school. She felt like she was working hard, but her grades did not show it. She was also struggling with some of the other girls at the school. The combination of bad grades and some bad days at school discouraged her and made it difficult for her tutors to make any real progress with her. They began to walk her through the issues with the other kids at school and to encourage her to focus more on learning the material she was ready for than on the grades she received. She began to make some progress. With the helpful assistance of the staff at CCP, we began to understand her situation better. The problem was not that Andraea was not trying hard or doing well in school. The problem was that Andraea was so far behind grade level, that even though she was learning her grades were still poor because she was not yet ready to master the material she was being evaluated on at her grade level. We committed to the school and to Andraea’s family to work with her to help close that gap. We explained the situation to her. We helped her to understand the gap between where she was now and where she needed to be. As she began to understand, she also began to see that once she was able to close that gap that she would have acquired good skills and study habits that would enable her to succeed in school when it really counted. Slowly but surely, the gap began to close. As it did, her attitude began to change. Her concerns with how she was treated by the other girls at the school went away. Instead of being reluctant or sluggish, she participated in her tutoring with enthusiasm. She gained confidence and as she did so, her progress snowballed. Through the dedication and, in all honesty, love, of her tutors, she understood her situation and has worked hard to overcome it. But here is the coolest thing: Andraea is not just a different student, she is a different person. Her attitude has changed. Her outlook has changed. She has new confidence and enthusiasm, not just about school but about who she is. And I am sure it is no coincidence that she has grown spiritually as well. Andraea regularly attends our monthly worship services. She prays and speaks of God with a level of maturity that shows she both understands and believes what she has heard. In reaching Andraea’s physical needs, we have reached her spiritual needs as well.