Year 2 - 2013

Team Holland – The November Tradition

It started with a call. A family—overwhelmed but full of love—was saying yes to something extraordinary. In the whirlwind of welcoming orphaned children from Ukraine into their home, their world had become a blur of chaos. Love was in abundance—but time, energy, and order were in short supply.

That’s when Team Holland showed up.

Fresh off their first project from the year before, the team had become something more than just a group of helpers. They were now a movement of compassion. And this time, they were rallying behind a family in the beautiful mess of saying yes to love and adoption.

The house buzzed with action as Team Holland rolled in. Rooms were cleaned from top to bottom. The pantry was stocked with everything from cereal to soup—comfort foods, easy meals, and treats for the kids. Even the chaos seemed to take a deep breath.

And in the middle of it all was Cindy Holland, smiling through the ache in her heart. This was the second November since losing Matt, and with each act of kindness, she saw his legacy living on—not just in what was done, but in why it was done.

This family—exhausted but faithful—had made room in their hearts and home for children who needed it most. And Team Holland made sure they didn’t do it alone.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” — James 1:27 (NIV)

That day marked the beginning of a tradition: every November, in honor of Matt Holland’s life and heart, Team Holland would show up for someone else. They’d clean, build, organize, and bless—because that’s what love does. It shows up.

And so, what began as a project became a legacy. One family at a time.