Women Connect: Moments Matter — Diane Tesch

Ponder

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. —James 1:27 ESV

We'll address the visiting widows mandate (and the joy it brings) in a future issue. For now, may the Nike slogan suffice, JUST DO IT!

Here in America the visiting orphans part can get a little trickier. Orphanages have been replaced with foster homes, group homes and adoption. While there are heartbreaking stories involving these precious children - there are also SO many positive stories. The people who commit to becoming foster parents and those who ultimately adopt are way too often not celebrated enough. They are - for the most part - unsung heroes.

Today I want you to meet a really special woman with a HUGE heart for foster children.

Meet

When they were twelve, Diane met Wayne Tesch at a junior high church camp on Lake Ontario in New York. They got to hang out together everyday at camp, along with other new friends. She dressed up for the special last-evening dinner. Wayne spotted Diane on her cabin's porch and whispered to his buddy, "I'm going to marry that girl someday!"

Fast forward to 1967…HE DID!

Today Wayne and Diane have a daughter, son-in-law, and three granddaughters (including one adopted), one great granddaughter and another great on the way.

Backing up…In the early 80's while serving as Executive Pastor at a church in Costa Mesa, California, Wayne's passion was serving alongside volunteers involved in children/youth camps - summer and winter. His PE and Religious Studies majors found the perfect venue.

One day a foster mom attending their church approached Wayne, asking if there could be a camp especially for foster kids. Wayne told her that sounded like a great idea and asked her to explore the idea with social services. In his heart, Diane said he thought with church and state regulations that would be as far as it would go. Only for the mom to excitedly come back to Wayne and say, "Social services loved the concept and wants to talk to you."

After going through a plethora of hoops, the first Royal Family Kids Camp was launched in 1985, with 37 campers. Their goal was to create life-changing moments for boys and girls, ages 7-11, who were in foster care and who had experienced relational trauma. They were motivated by the example Christ set, to share a common goal, of caring for those Jesus referred to as "the least of these."

Diane was unable to attend the first camp because of her executive role with an Orange County real estate company. But she noticed an immediate change in Wayne. During the first week back from camp, he would often weep as he recounted stories about the campers he had encountered.

Diane's heart broke with her husband's, and they knew they had to do this together the following summer. And they had to grow their team…fifteen volunteers was not nearly enough!

After the next couple weeklong Royal Family Kids Camps, they began getting requests from other churches in other counties, asking how they could launch a similar camp. And then more requests. It began to snowball. The need was great, and the precious foster children were so vulnerable.

One workday Diane chatted with her boss, the real estate firm owner, about the RFKC launch inquiries Wayne was receiving. She knew effective volunteer training was at the core of their ability to reproduce. But, she admitted, while organizational management was her passion - she arrived home evenings with zero energy to spend on developing RFKC.

Her boss leaned forward from his large desk and said, "Diane, the big property deal we just secured will be tied up with the city and county for a few months. You can stay at home during this time and do whatever it takes to develop the training materials to duplicate your camps. And you will not miss a paycheck."

Wow! Don't you just love those stories when you know beyond any doubt - God is totally driving the dream?! (I may have cried a bit when Diane shared that story with me.)

Today Royal Family Kids Camps serves under the banner of 'For the Children', as they continue expanding foster care kids' outreach beyond the camp experience.

For The Children has served over 100,000 campers and mentees with over 125,000 volunteers since 1985. Their camps and mentoring clubs are designed to uniquely serve children who have been abused, abandoned, and neglected.

For more information on how you and/or your church can get involved, please visit their website.

Diane, thank you for allowing me the privilege of sharing part of your story. I know Wayne is the out-front man (whom those of us who know him can't help but love). But we want YOU to know that while it has been several years since you served with him at the helm - the foundation you built with amazing leadership training is a legacy for which we can never thank you enough.

I was a recipient of your training and have experienced firsthand the fruit of your investment. You are a real-life angel.

Diane has struggled with Lupus for over 20 years. And this week she has rotator cuff surgery. Would our sweet community please add Diane to your prayer list? She needs a miracle.

She asked if she could share one her favorite Scriptures with you:

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." —Psalm 37:4 ESV

Thankful

...for women, like Diane, who despite a journey sometimes laden with pain and discomfort, they still have the ability to reach out and encourage others.

I'm also thankful that this week Wes + I are serving as Papa + Gram at the Royal Family Kids Camp in our area. Prayers are appreciated for us and all the staff and counselors serving at RFKCs all over our nation (and sprinkled internationally) this summer. Pray we will be the extended hand of Jesus. And mostly, please pray for the precious campers.

Thank you so much.

Heart

Is there someone in your world with whom you can share God's love? Or, need a Bible to give them? Please let us know.

Judy Popineau Wick