Mercy

It was their first day here. Two brothers. Both in kindergarten and placed right across the hall from each other. It didn’t take long to figure out this was going to be another challenge for a multiplicity of reasons. But we are blessed with people that handle challenges well. It’s funny how God puts the right people in the right places at the right time.

Just finding a starting place for these two was difficult. They weren’t at all prepared for what was coming their way. And the needed support just wasn’t in place. It was very difficult for them to communicate, except for a few words that most five year olds don't know yet. Shouldn’t know yet. That was our starting place.

But...as we saw yet again, we have a team that will find a way. This isn’t a place lacking for people that are passionate about children and seeing them succeed. It was a pretty incredible turnaround in just a short time. No ability to produce even one letter sound from assessment number one to reading words in just a few short weeks. I was walking by the room and stopped to listen to one of the boys sounding out words. “C-A-T...cat. M-A-T...mat. B-A-T...bat. M-O-P...mop. H-O-P...hop. P-O-P...pop.” Six out of six...doesn’t get much better than that. And all that coupled with a complete change in behavior. Unbelievable.

It’s already a success story. I don’t know what all happens from this point forward, but I do know this...life is changing for those two. Life is changing because of the investment of a few willing, daring, stubborn, courageous, and passionate adults that love kids and give them their all every day. Where would the world be without people like these in every school? That’s not something I care to think about.

This school has been here for years. We could say decades. Several. It’s seen thousands of children come and go. And not a few that were in need of a little extra time, a little extra challenge, a little extra relationship, a little extra love. And as a teacher here, you have to be willing to be a little extra...or just move on. But it was Jesus who said, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them. For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”

If these hallways could talk, they could tell you story after story after story of teachers who let the little children come to them, day after day after day. When it was hard. When it was demanding. When it seemed to offer them no reward in return. When they were drained physically, mentally, and emotionally. Day after day letting them come. Day after day sacrificing of their own, for the success of another. Jesus said something about that too, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” Proverbs 19:17