What's an Advocate?

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Advocate.
To speak or write in support or favor of.
A person who pleads for or in behalf of another.

Anyone have one of these?

This summer my sister and her husband moved to the Philippines as leaders of the Quezon City North Mission.
They’re in charge of young men and women serving full-time as missionaries for our church.
33 years ago, me and my two younger brothers moved with my parents to Arcadia, California – they were asked to do the same job as Kara and Todd.
It was July 1, 1987.
I was going into my junior year of high school.

I was living in a borrowed house called the Mission Home.
My car was part of the mission fleet.
I had no friends. No ties. No history.
And I had missed all the team tryouts held before the school year ended.
So no chance to get involved that way.

Then I met Stephenie Green.
A year ahead of me.
Part of our church congregation.
And a member of everything at our oversized high school.
On the pep squad.
President of the academic club.
President of the girls show choir.
Setter on the varsity volleyball team.

She called the music teacher.
I had an audition and became part of the girls competitive show choir. Got my matching shiny blue dress and everything.
She called the volleyball coach.
I had a personal tryout. I made the JV team and learned how to be the California-version of an outside hitter.

By the time school started, my calendar was full of rehearsals and practices and people.
Friends.
Activities.
Chances to connect. Get involved. Make a space for myself at a new school.

I didn’t have to lose a year of school activities because I moved in during the summer.
I didn’t have to wander the halls waiting to develop friendships on my own.
I didn’t have to just go home at 2:45 pm each weekday.
I had places to be. Stuff to do. People to be with.

Stephenie Green was seventeen years old.
And she was my advocate.
She spoke for me when I couldn’t speak for myself.
I hear the word “advocate” a lot these days. Advocacy can look like different things. It makes me wonder how I can be more like Steph.

Stephenie Green.
Advocate.
A person who pleads for or in behalf of another.

And changes everything for her. 💙✊🏻