Meet Ministry Leader Heba Khoury
Born overseas in the country of Kuwait and raised in Southern California from the age of three or four, JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth) Ministry Leader and only child, Heba Khoury loves being around kids – “It’s a calling!” she says.
Heba has three children of her own with husband, Samer – Sophia, Antonio, and Joelle. They’ve been married for 16 years, thanks to her mother-in-law. “I met my husband at a cousin’s engagement party. My future mother-in-law was also there, and she was looking to find a wife for her son . . . and the rest is history.”
Although Southern California is where Heba calls home, she and her family moved to Castro Valley and began searching for an Orthodox church to attend. She first visited St. James Orthodox Church in Milpitas and got involved with Sunday School and their teen youth group. “I was raised in the Orthodox Church, and I was heavily involved in everything all of my life. I MUST be involved.” While at St. James, friends told her about the Resurrection parish – great sense of community, good for kids, and conveniently close to home, so she decided to “pop in” and check us out.
Now, Heba loves seeing the JOY children at Resurrection learn about the Faith and come back a week later still referencing the past lesson. Heba credits “the teacher in me . . . with the need to instill the Faith in our kids – everything about the Saints, Liturgy, etc.” (Heba holds a master’s degree in Special Education) And, since she likes to crochet and make arts and crafts in her spare time, our kids benefit from fun lessons and art projects while in her care! You may also find this self-professed Neat Freak hanging out over lunch with friends, “I don’t play any instruments, but I love to organize a closet – that’s my hidden talent!”
Heba clearly lives out her mantra, which comes from the book of Matthew, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Chapter 25:40) We are blessed to have her and her family as members of our parish.
JOY meets twice a month typically on Tuesday evenings at 6:45 p.m. This year, you’ll find Heba teaching 3rd-5th grade children about the Saints and baking a special treat that connects to the lesson.
