By student Lincoln N. and edited for clarity by New Life Academy.
Mr. Orlando Haripal’s official role at New Life Academy is the leader of the custodial team. However, he serves the NLA community in many ways beyond just helping keep New Life’s campus clean and safe.
Orlando arrived at New Life as part of a temporary cleaning staff team, with little thought other than getting the job done. What ensued is a story few could fathom; a decade later, Orlando has become an embodiment of NLA’s mission and a pillar of the community. “My position here has grown into so much more than just a job for me,” emphasized Orlando. “It’s my mission! Talking and ministering to the kids is why I love my job.”
Not being a teacher or a student gives Orlando a unique perspective on students’ lives. Many students have found it easy to talk to Orlando. Orlando affirms, “I’m that outside person who can come into the kids’ lives and do something. . . It’s important that someone can be there for them.”
Growing up in a solid Christian home provided Orlando with a good foundation to minister to students at New Life. Both his grandfather and mother were excellent Christian role models to a young Orlando.
Having strong role models has prompted Orlando to be a role model for others around him. One of his responsibilities at NLA is to lead a team of student custodial workers who are employed by the school. In an area where many would spend as little time as possible, Orlando has made it his mission to be a role model to these students.
Orlando is someone I look up to, not only for the work he does, but for how he works. He has a heart for the work he does and for the people he works for.
Zach D. – Senior and Student Worker
This emphasis on serving is something New Life has long stood by and is clearly a huge factor in what has made Orlando’s decade-long stint at NLA a soaring success. “As I sit here today, I could retire if I wanted to. But I have absolutely no desire to because I just feel this is my calling,” insisted Orlando. “This season of having one-on-one relationships and conversations with the kids is the tip of the iceberg to me.”
Orlando continues to develop his relational skills every day through engaging conversations with the students. There’s hardly a person in the building who hasn’t had a conversation with Orlando, and even fewer who wouldn’t love to have another one. “It takes time to build relationships with students. Sometimes kids want to open up to somebody, and I just happen to be the person a lot of them trust,” reflects Orlando.
This trust has given Orlando a platform to not only speak into their lives, but also help guide students on their faith journeys. He started weekly Bible studies with the student workers just this past summer, aligning with the Daniel class that Dr. Brian Schrader was teaching. “That Bible study was amazing. It was always tugging on my heart to do something more with the boys than just work,” shared Orlando. “I may not be titled as an administrator or teacher or whatever, but I can help just the same with the mission of spreading God’s word.”
On top of unpacking Daniel, Orlando has led his team through a number of his own personal favorite devotions. Sometimes these devotions are the ones he reads that morning; other times, it’s just talking about his favorite passages and sharing his wisdom.
Orlando explained, “My relationship with Jesus is always growing. I come in every morning, do my devotion, and ask the Lord how I can reflect Him, who I can impact, and what I can do to be more Christ-like.”
