I have
Gifted a Giving Key
With the word
STRENGTH
My Story
I am a special educator. I have worked in the Jackson MI Catholic school system for 43 years. One project my students and I have been involved in for a number of years is what we call the Lumen Christi (name of school) Interfaith Shelter Project. We fund raise, gather food, prepare the food, and serve the food for our local homeless shelter's dinner meal twice a month year round.
Sometimes there have been members of the Deaf community present. Since some of my students have learned The Lord's Prayer in ASL, we sometimes sign the prayer before serving. The moment that stands out in my mind is the night an autistic young man lead prayer, signing and saying the prayer before actual grace was said. It still makes me tear up. This is a young man who overcame huge challenges to be the most faithful volunteer I have had.
That memory represents the years of paying it forward that my colleagues and students have offered our community. I have many other stories about my students and this service. One of my kids was homeless himself before he came to us. Many kids have learned how very close to need and want many families are. We have had overcome the idea that the homeless are lazy or crazy. It has been a privilege to adding a tiny push to dispelling this idea for people in our school community. I was gifted a key in the monthly Faithbox mailing. I have gifted it forward to a student going through a different time. I love the idea of service represented in The Giving Keys and I want to thank you for your service.
