15,000 Hours:
That is the average amount of time a child will spend in school from Kindergarten through high school graduation.
At Lima Christian School, we use those 15,000 hours to shape them into the men and women of God they were created to be: disciples of Jesus Christ.
As the only Christ-centered PreK-12 option for many families seeking a continuous educational experience in Livingston County, also serving Monroe and Ontario counties, this mission has never been more essential.
And the people on the front lines of that critical work are our beloved LCS teachers. This summer, God performed a miracle when he provided these dedicated disciple makers for every classroom, from science and math to history and English. Let me share the story of Mr. Zaia, one of our new teachers this fall. His story exemplifies the way that God has orchestrated His provision for this school and the servant’s heart that our teachers bring to their classrooms.
The Journey of a Disciple Maker
Robert Zaia had always envisioned teaching history at a Christian school, but after college graduation he found himself unexpectedly waiting. While his classmates secured teaching positions, Mr. Zaia faced one closed door after another.
“It seemed like a revolving door of opportunities,” Mr. Zaia recalls. “Something would come up, I would explore the option, and then it would turn out to be a dead end.” Working a temporary job back home in New York, he continued searching, praying, and trusting that God was working, even when he couldn’t see it.
Then came a chance conversation. A friend of a friend mentioned an opening at Lima Christian School. Mr. Zaia had never heard of LCS before, but he immediately applied. He patiently waited as the school underwent a leadership change, then came in for an interview. Suddenly, he had an answer to months of prayer: a position teaching social studies at LCS.
“Mr. Zaia was the first hire that set everything in motion,” said Vice Principal, Trina Settle. “His ‘yes’ was evidence that the Lord had reserved teachers for LCS so late in the hiring season. One by one, each teacher shared how God kept them available and called them to join our staff. Mr. Zaia’s story, and the way God filled each position after him, has been faith-building!”
“Sometimes God works in a decisive moment of clarity,” Mr. Zaia reflects. “Other times, you simply take one step at a time, following the next thing He has for you. When you look up, there you are, on the other side of a door He opened.” When asked during his interview where LCS ranked among other opportunities, Mr. Zaia’s answer was simple: it was his only opportunity. Not because it was a last resort, but because God had arranged his path so clearly that there was nowhere else to go.
Today, Mr. Zaia sees his presence at LCS as “a double act of Providence—the provision of a teacher for the school, and the provision of the ministry that I desired.”
For Mr. Zaia, teaching is a calling to disciple students. “I can take the time to have good, spontaneous conversations with students or whole classes,” he says. He creates lessons where history connects with faith. His students write psalms while studying ancient Israel, share through prayer requests, and examine God’s hand at work throughout human events.
“My role as a teacher and my role as a disciple maker are not separate,” Mr. Zaia says, “but are truly one and the same.”
“My role as a teacher and my role as a disciple maker are not separate, but are truly one and the same.”
Mr. Robert Zaia
Join Us in This Mission
Your support makes the ministry of disciple-making teachers like Mr. Zaia possible at Lima Christian School. Right now, our students are experiencing seamless integration of academic excellence and life-changing spiritual formation.
But the reality is that, on average, there is a $4,000 gap between the cost to educate each student and what our families can afford in tuition. Your year-end gift helps bridge this gap, ensuring that families in Livingston, Monroe, and Ontario counties can access a Christ-centered education that uses all 15,000 hours to make disciples of Jesus Christ. This year, due to the enrollment impact from last summer’s staffing challenges, we are raising $400,000 to close our budget gap. With all gifts accounted for, including the funds raised during our benefit auction, we are 30% of the way to that goal.
As we close out this year, if God is leading you to be part of His provision for LCS, please know that your gift, whatever the amount, makes a significant difference in the lives of our students and their families.
You can give online or by mail. Send checks made payable to Lima Christian School to: 1574 Rochester St., Lima, NY 14485
