Letting Go So Others Can Grow

Two years ago, we did something that felt like failure.

We put Lucy’s Libros on hold.

The mobile library had become a weekly rhythm of joy. Loading up a boxful of books, seeing stories in tiny hands and kids peering into the classroom to see what we had in store for them this week. They loved it. We loved it. And yet behind the scenes, we were running on fumes. Overworked. Overwhelmed. Quietly fraying at the edges.

I resisted the decision for as long as I could. But eventually wisdom reigned and I relented to the fact that we cannot sustain what is slowly crushing us.

Telling the kids was heartbreaking. It felt like we were letting them down. In reality, I was confronting something deeper. Sometimes the most humbling leadership moment is admitting that your way is not the best way.

Last year, as we focused on recruiting volunteers, two potential team members lit up when they heard about the mobile library. They were not casually interested. They were all in. They wanted to relaunch it.

My first instinct was caution. I didn't want them to inherit our burnout along with our books. So instead of handing them our old blueprint, we handed them our lessons. The victories. The mistakes. The hidden strain. Then we asked them to rethink everything and design a new model from the ground up.

It has not been easy. The new plan does not look exactly like our original dream. It has meant releasing control. And, accepting that the program might flourish in a form different than the one I had imagined. Learning to work with new volunteers (personalities, communication styles, cultural misunderstandings) while also learning to relinquish control has been a challenge for me. But it has also been so rewarding to see the passion for the program I loved ignite in others.

Our dedicated volunteers have been rebuilding the database for the library and have written lesson plans for nearly 150 books! They have created a sustainable plan to empower and equip local teachers with the tools and resources they need to incorporate books and reading into their classrooms.

I am excited about the future of this program and can’t wait to share with you the impact this program has on the Kingdom!