Showered With Love & Sharing It With Others
Meet Wendy Lee and her husband Jerry Wang, who will welcome Baby Wang to their family this September. They’re making all the normal preparations, from doctors appointments to setting up a nursery—and they’re also doing something unique with their baby shower. Rather than asking family and friends to contribute gifts for Baby Wang, they’re asking for donations to BJM on Baby Wang’s behalf.
“I’m overwhelmed by a sense of love and gratitude for this opportunity to be a mom,” says Wendy. “I was thinking about all the women and girls I’ve come across who don’t have the chance to grow up in a supportive community, and I thought of BJM and the way they form communities that celebrate others as they experience significant life events.”
Wendy grew up here in San Francisco, and she’d known about BJM for a while because the previous nonprofit she worked for was located in the TL. But she really got to know BJM’s vision when she attended grad school with our operations manager Sonja Schappert, who presented on leading a faith-based nonprofit.
“My husband and I are both believers,” says Wendy. “While we support a variety of organizations, those that resonate with us the most have a faith background. It's not just about programs and services, but a much deeper understanding of how faith plays a role in restoring lives and healing. So that was an instant yes for us. BJM had to be something that we support and love.”
They’ve found that dedicating their baby shower to BJM has created space for them to share their faith with friends and family members who don’t know Christ. At BJM, we believe firmly in belonging before believing. We want everyone to know that they are welcomed and valued, no matter their walk of life. Wendy and Jerry are reflecting this belief through including their entire community to celebrate Baby Wang’s life and the lives of our neighbors in the Tenderloin.
“This is an opportunity to share our approach to parenting and how we choose to raise this child,” says Wendy. “As we reflect on the mystery and intensity of the love that we have for our child, we have prayed that Baby Wang would grow to reflect the values that are important to us. We want our child to know generosity, love, joy, kindness, and goodness, starting even before Baby is born through dedicating this shower to others.”
Want to support Baby Wang? Donate to Wendy and Jerry’s fundraiser or our overall campaign at these links. Or set up your own fundraising page! Visit this link to learn how. Every donation is a droplet that sparks a ripple effect, enabling us to continue building pathways to brighter futures for women and girls in our neighborhood. We’d be honored to have you partner in ministry with us!