Nehemiah Center and YMCA Youth Sports
Rhonda Thompson, Director of First Baptist Church’s Nehemiah Center works to touch the mind, body and spirit of families who are at risk in the Chisholm community. One of her goals in doing so is partnering with others in the community. She has worked with the Y for almost the entire time the Nehemiah Center has been in existence, particularly with youth sports. This past fall, they put together a football team to play in our program which was a huge success. One of the things that’s so important for her program is that the children learn to work together, despite their differences. She can’t think of a better way for them to learn that than through Y sports where they are on a practice field in a Christian environment working together, playing together, and going for the same goal together. Often times on Sunday mornings, some may say we are a segregated community, but Rhonda, along with many others in our community would like to say that on Saturday mornings we are a very integrated community because when you are playing on YMCA sports, everybody comes together and has a great time. That’s who the Y is. We want everyone to play together in our community. Rhonda has witnessed it first hand with her children at the Nehemiah Center and is thankful for all the Y does for our community.