RHK Volunteer Spotlight - Steve Williams

My name is Steve. I grew up in Freeport, IL where I was a Pretzel and played quite a bit of baseball. Now, I am an IT Manager at Aqua Aerobic System. I am married and have two children, two granddaughters, and a grandson on the way.

I serve at RHK with the 3rd-grade boys and girls. Sometimes, I run the games station in the gym. Initially, I heard about RHK through friends who volunteered there. At the time, I was with a different program, which later dissolved, freeing me to serve elsewhere. However, my father, and soon after, my mother, passed away unexpectedly. At that point, I wasn't in the right frame of mind to serve anyone. At least that’s what I thought. An RHK volunteer who attended my church started bringing some kids with her. I initially felt a definite hard no. Then our church hosted them for a Christmas event. They began to grow on me, and I couldn't imagine not being a part of their lives.

One of my favorite memories was when the kids came to my church for a Christmas Party. At the end of the night, we had a dance party. I had the best time dancing with one of the kids. It was so much fun and sealed the deal for me to volunteer at RHK. Another favorite memory was seeing some of the kids get baptized. Watching their faces light up with excitement was priceless. The kids keep me coming back. I enjoy the relationships I have made with them and learn a lot from them. I appreciate being a part of their Christian journey.

When I have asked others to volunteer with me at RHK, I often hear "I don't know what to do" or "I don't think I would be good at it". The response I usually give is, "Don't be afraid to let God stretch you. You will get so much joy from blessing others, and all the other walls will fall." No matter what happens during the night, I feel blessed to do life with the kids and the other volunteers.