Message from the President

Thanks to the generous giving of many, Oakdale makes a difference in student lives..

The first Sunday of this month was Senior Vespers, an annual tradition when seniors share the ways that Oakdale impacted their lives. I marveled as students, one after another, shared how it was at Oakdale that Christ became real to them for the first time, and how the lessons learned at Oakdale have brought them closer to God.

One student told of growing up in a Muslim home where the name of Jesus was meaningless, and how arriving at Oakdale was a bewildering experience, hearing daily of Jesus Christ. She shared how she could see something very different in the staff members, and she wondered what made that difference. Weeks and months went by as she learned about Jesus and about salvation. She began to understand, and after a year she accepted Christ as her savior.

Her story continued, and she shared how she struggled to remain true, and how she faced skepticism by her parents over her faith. At Senior Vespers she joked how there probably had been Administrative Committee meetings where we talked about her. There were! We did! And we made special arrangements this year to keep her close to Godly, Christian influences and away from the environments that had made it difficult for her to really grow in Christ.

The result is an amazing story of a young lady who is a changed person, who is fervent in her desire to live for God, and who keeps a daily devotion and prayer time.

Another student shared about coming to Oakdale angry and everything and everyone, but that being at Oakdale had allowed God to soften his heart. And another shared about how the staff had taught her so much about what it means to be a Christian. Through tears, she thanked the staff for all that had been done for her.When I think of the story of Oakdale Christian Academy, two factors are astounding: 1) the excellent facilities and program that has emerged in recent years; and 2) the friends who have made this happen.

Our donors, by and large, are people of ordinary resources who give faithfully. In fact, if you look at total giving by donor over the past 20 years, there are only 15 donors who have given $50,000 or more during that entire time (six of these are foundations and churches), and only five who have given more than $100,000! Again, that's total giving during a 20-year span!

How can so much be done on so little? Our staff serves on meager wages, giving long hours and all their hearts to directing and teaching teenagers in the ways they should go. Also, volunteers make projects very affordable. Work teams make things happen that never would be possible if Oakdale were to pay contract wages.

Thanks to our donors, our excellent staff, and a conservative approach to budgeting, Oakdale Christian Academy remains on solid financial footing, even as we provide vast sums of financial aid to our students and even in this challenging economic climate!

Because of the hundreds of people committed to the ministry of Oakdale students like Samantha can be here. A lack of structure and accountability at home made it difficult for Samantha to succeed in school. Despite being a very bright girl, she was in danger of not graduating from high school and being able to attend college. She was also on a path to self destruction when she learned of the possibility of attending Oakdale. Oakdale is Samantha’s opportunity for change, and she could not attend without a generous financial aid package. I celebrate the miracle that Oakdale can serve students like Samantha!

Sincerely,

Daniel B. Fisher
President

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