What Does Family Really Mean?
Dr. Oluwagbenga (Ben) Adesope, CEO
Dear Faith In Practice Family,
You will notice that I always address our larger community as “Family.” That’s not just a word I use, it’s a truth I feel in my soul! As I write this letter from 35,000 feet in the air on my flight back to Houston from Guatemala, I find myself asking: What does family really mean? Lately, that word has taken on a deeper meaning for me. It is not just a concept, it is everything!
When disaster strikes, whether it’s an earthquake shaking ancient stone in Guatemala or floodwaters rushing into sacred spaces across Central Texas, what remains, what endures, is family. Not only those bound by blood, but those bound by love. By prayer. By purpose. By the quiet, steady commitment to walk together through both calm and chaos.
During my most recent trip to Guatemala, I witnessed that sacred bond firsthand. Amid uncertainty and the aftershocks that continued to rumble beneath our feet, our in-country staff stood strong not because they had all the answers, but because they had each other. I had the privilege of meeting with some members of the incredible Heinrich/Pond Team, whose presence, faith, and kindness reminded me that family is not the absence of fear, but the decision to hold on to hope together. It is the choice to love, to serve, and to stand with one another even when the world feels unsteady.
We’ve seen loss and hardship, within our Faith In Practice family (please take a moment to view the remembrance section), in Central Texas, and in Guatemala. And yet, what continues to rise above it all is the overwhelming, never-failing love of Christ. That love binds us together. That love lifts us up.
This is who we are. This is what it means to be part of Faith In Practice. We are not just an organization. Not just a team. We are a family, and family shows up. Family prays. Family carries one another’s burdens. Family celebrates. Family weeps. And when the ground shakes beneath us, literally or figuratively, we don’t scatter. We hold each other tighter.
That’s why we’ve re-opened our prayer line: prayer@faithinpractice.org. If you are carrying something heavy, if your heart is weary, if you simply need someone to lift you up before the Lord, we are here! Please, send us your prayer requests. We will pray for you. Because family does not let one another walk alone.
As we continue in this season of rebuilding and recommitment, I am also grateful that we are deepening the spiritual roots of the organization. Dr. Mark Woolf has joined us as our new Spiritual Care Leader, helping lead our spiritual journey and reminding us not to lose sight of the one who called us. Through our Mission Integration efforts, we are centering everything we do in the love of Jesus, the one who makes us one body and welcomes us into his heavenly family.
As scripture reminds us:
“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” – Romans 12:5
So, you belong. We belong. We belong to Christ and to one another. Together, we move forward not just as teammates or volunteers, but as family. Guided by faith. Rooted in love. Hand in hand with God’s purpose before us.
Thank you for being part of this family. Thank you for your love, your prayers, your presence, and your faithfulness. Thank you for living out your faith… in practice.
With all my love and gratitude,
Dr. Oluwagbenga (Ben) Adesope
Chief Executive Officer
Faith In Practice
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