If You Build It, They Will Come…

“Therefore, now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever.”
2 Samuel 7:29

Over three years ago, SMCA began the journey of acquiring a building to provide more classrooms for our secondary students. During that time, we saw the Lord guide and provide temporary locations for students to attend while we continued to wait on Him to make this building possible. God continued to grow our student population despite the lack of space. Praise the Lord! The need for more space became increasingly urgent, but God said, wait.

From the beginning of this journey, we asked the Lord to go before us and prepare the way. He did that—and so much more. Our first of many answered prayers was our partnership with South Potomac Church. They opened their doors without question and allowed our students to fully use their facilities so that learning could continue. We are greatly humbled by the Christ-like servant attitude shown by South Potomac Church. A special thank you to Pastor Sadiqq, Mr. Dan Smart, and Mr. Shawn.

The Miracle — Finally, on August 11, 2025, the building arrived on SMCA’s campus. It was the most beautiful sight to this administrator’s eyes. We watched and waited on the Lord to build this building, and it was finally here. It was not without its challenges. There were times we waited on the county for permits, personnel, or building materials, but God stayed the same—faithful and true. Thank you also to Mr. Gaines, Mr. Dameon Hayden, Mr. Steven Grinder, Mr. Elijah Gheen, and so many others who helped with the preparations and all that was required to get the permits approved and the building ready for students.

Another answered prayer followed. The SMCA administration and elementary teachers, in particular, were so kind to allow us space in the chapel building. Each week, desks were set up and partition walls placed across the chapel to ensure quality education continued for every class. Mrs. Alonso, Mr. Jackson, and Mr. Remo have been amazing teachers as they traveled with their students to the chapel. Our teachers are so incredible that they can teach in any space. A special thank you to SMCA administration, the secondary teachers, Mrs. George, and Mr. Crawford for helping with the weekly setup and breakdown of the two classrooms.

Finally, the week before Christmas break began, Mr. Gaines called to share that the building had been approved and that classes could begin upon our return from Christmas break. I yelled into the phone, “Praise the Lord!” Soon after, an announcement was made over the intercom to all secondary students. Cheers and loud applause echoed throughout both buildings. We had been waiting, and God had answered our prayers!

On Thursday, January 15, 2026, the secondary teachers dedicated the building to the Lord through Scripture reading and prayer. Psalm 127:1 says, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Thank You, Lord, for being faithful and true. Thank You for building this building. We are humbled and grateful that You looked our way and paid attention to SMCA. God deserves all the glory, honor, and praise.

-Mrs. Candace Crawford, Dean of Academic Affairs