My husband, Andy, and I own a business in Asheville, NC. Andy is a jeweler, raised in Minnesota, and I’m a Registered Nurse, raised here in North Carolina. We have a 23-year-old son, Matthew, who is currently grinning and bearing it through law school. I lived in Alaska for nearly 8 years, where Matthew was born, while I served as an active duty member of the Air Force. Andy moved to North Carolina in 2002, and as they say, the rest is history! We married in an old rock church by the coast on Sullivan’s Island, SC.

My parents, Kenzie and Jo Driggers, live just down the mountain in South Carolina. They have been instrumental in guiding my belief that we do not merely exist; rather, we are here to serve others and do what we can with the blessings we have to show people love and affect their lives in a positive way. Andy’s mom is a chaplain and his dad is a mechanic. Now retired, they are happy to call North Carolina home. He, too, had great examples of service in his parents who delight in finding ways to help neighbors and friends.

I love the verse, Esther 4:14, “Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.” It so perfectly describes this leading that has compelled us to be involved with Native American youth and their educational goals.

Our journey began with a desire and plan to go to Africa… and a question from my dad: “Have you ever looked at Native American reservations?” Being Lumbee Indian, it seemed like a reasonable question. The conditions of our own tribe, the Lumbee in Pembroke, NC were well-known to me. But the conditions of other tribes, not so much.

After extensive online research, a divine connection through Facebook, planning for Africa, and all the while, lots of prayer to be used as a servant to the least of these, I knew we were being led to help Native American youth. It was bittersweet to turn loose of that dream to serve in Africa and embrace God’s plan, but it has made Esther 4:14 real as we have pondered, yes indeed, perhaps…

This chapter of our lives may have started with the plans I had, but the story woven into the chapters before and the chapters to come are undoubtedly impossible without the overwhelming prayers, support, and guidance of our family and friends and our beloved Creator. Our prayers for ways to serve have led us to our own precious Lumbee tribe and the beautiful Lakota Indians, and our hand is to the plow.