With Easter approaching, we asked a few students at Grace Emmanuel School and JiHM staff to share what this season means to them and how they plan to celebrate this year.

Their answers reflect both the beauty of their faith and the reality of life around them right now.

Some spoke honestly about the weight they are carrying. Mirline, a 6th grade student, shared, “I will celebrate Easter in pain and sadness because of the insecurity.” Mirline was a classmate of Wilguens, who passed away suddenly on March 14, and her words reflect the reality many students are walking through in this season of grief. And yet, she still pointed to the hope of the resurrection—saying that without it, her life would be troubled.

Others described Easter as a time of joy, family, and tradition. Morvens, an 11th grade student, shared about celebrating with family and friends—flying kites, eating a special meal, and finding a sense of peace and relief from stress.

Pastor Evald shared how his church will celebrate together—with a time of thanksgiving, sharing food like fruit, and gathering in community. For him, Easter represents freedom and victory: “like someone who was condemned and then set free.” He described it as the victory over death—and emphasized that without the resurrection, the message of the Gospel would have no value. “But because of the resurrection,” he said, “we have victory.”

Marie Vielda, who is the preschool and kindergarten director at GES, called Easter “a victory for every Christian” and a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice so that we can have new life in Him. She shared that without the resurrection, life would feel empty and bound by sin—but because of Jesus, she has “a new life, a new name, and a new identity.”

Nimchy, a 12th grade student, said, “If Christ hadn’t resurrected, there wouldn’t be life for us.”

For Pele, a driver for GES, Easter is a deeply personal invitation. He shared his desire to use this season to draw closer to God, to pursue forgiveness, and to live with renewed faith. “Easter is a symbol of the victory of life over death, hope over hopelessness, and light over darkness,” he wrote. “Even when things are difficult, there is always hope, and a new beginning is possible.”

Their reflections are a powerful reminder that resurrection hope is not abstract. It is something we cling to.

In the midst of hardship, grief, and uncertainty—including the recent loss of Wilguens—the truth of the resurrection is not just something to acknowledge. It is the bedrock of our faith and of our lives.

Because Jesus is alive, there is hope in the middle of sorrow and unending insecurity. Because He is risen, grief is never the final word. And because of the resurrection, we press on—steadfast and immovable—trusting that nothing done in His name is ever in vain.