Nathaniel's Hope

Buddy Break Quotes & Personal Experiences

VIP Parents Coordinators & Leadership Teams Pastors Buddies

Click here to email us your personal experience.

VIP PARENTS

“I will never be able to put into words how I came to the church broken and feeling that no one would be able to understand what a single mom with a special needs child goes through or even needs. But, the Lord has totally worked and used you all to bring hope, encouragement, joy, love, and compassion to someone that has been on this road for a long time and was getting weary and tired. I will never be able to thank you enough for being Jesus' hands and feet to us.”

-Tammy, VIP Parent

“Buddy Break is such a gift for my family! My kids have found a place where they fit right in, are cared for, and loved in ways that sometimes I, as an exhausted mom, just can’t do. My son with special needs has a wonderful time playing with his Buddy and his sibling gets to talk to other children “like me, with a special brother or sister.” Meanwhile, I have time to get a few things done, reconnect with friends, or even just sit still with a sense of peace so that I can be a stronger and better parent. Thank you so much for all you do. I am incredibly grateful!”

-Lucette, VIP Parent

COORDINATORS & LEADERSHIP TEAMS

“Buddy Break has been a blessing not only to the VIP parents and Buddies, but to the church as a whole. It has helped us grow our church ministry and created opportunities for us to reach out to people in our community and share God’s plan for them. It has also have given our church family a chance to step out of their comfort zone, in faith and serve our VIP families not only in Buddy Break, but in our church programming for our VIPs as well. Buddy Break is a BLESSING from every direction!”

-Nanci, Coordinator @ First Baptist Church of Windermere

“We just completed our first Buddy Training 101 with 63 Buddies in attendance. We haven’t even begun Buddy Break yet and only recently started advertising the program in our community. I just received registrations from a grandmother and a single mom who each signed up their special needs children and siblings. Both were so appreciative of the program, and the single mom told me that we sound so organized and the program sounds so good that she could just cry. "There's help out there," she said. It warmed my heart. So, while we've only just begun, may this new ministry at Grace Baptist Church bring glory to God in all our efforts. Thank you to everyone who had a hand in structuring this program so well to meet the needs of all concerned.”

-Denise, Carol, Charlotte, and Barbara, Buddy Break Leadership team @ Grace Baptist Church

“Jesus loves every one of His children. While He was here on earth, he healed the blind, the lame, and the sick (mentally, spiritually, and physically). Through Buddy Break, we are showing these families what Christianity is all about - loving these children in a tangible way.”

-Cholly, Coordinator @ Markham Woods Assembly of God

“Buddy Break has helped our special needs ministry in tremendous ways. Our Buddies feel so blessed by serving at Buddy Break that they also volunteer in our weekend and Wednesday evening Bible classes and made our first Special Needs VBS a great success last year. We are thrilled to offer such a wonderful outreach ministry to our local community.”

-Denise, Coordinator @ First Baptist Church of Windermere

PASTORS

To be updated shortly

BUDDIES

“Buddy Break has affected me in several ways:

It has widened the meaning of Matthew 28:19-20 (The Great Commission) for me and opened my eyes to see that we need to obey God and be missionaries at home as well as abroad.
I have learned that this is a two-way street. Yes, we want to help VIPs, but in return we are learning a lot from these precious families. I say that even though I was a care giver to my own VIP son, who has since gone home to be with the Lord. For many years, I basically focused on him, and yet through this program, I am amazed to see that there is so much more to be done.
In doing Buddy Break, we have watched people come out of the shadows. It's like a miracle! Yes, we have VIP families in our church, and they have grown to be part of us. We’ve also become aware of how many are in our community, and the need has really hit home. In just two of our area elementary schools, we have 114 VIPs.

I praise God for this program!"

-Charlotte @ Grace Baptist Church