Tags
Altruism, Art show, Erie City Mission, Giving, God, Jesus, life, love, stay at home daddy
There comes a time when we heed a certain call, when-OOPS, this isn’t We Are The World. However, today I feel like it is. A few weeks ago our daughter was lucky enough to be chosen as a Girl of Merit for the Girls World Expo 2016. This was weeks removed from being chosen as a TILT-teen in leadership training for her summer camp. A kinda mini-counselor in training. At the Expo, our oldest Abby was lucky enough to hear from Erie City Councilwoman Sonya Arrington. It made an impact.
Abby had been toying with an idea in her head and thinking about a large-scale operation of accepting donations and taking them to the Erie City Mission. After the Expo she brought it up to me. I discussed it with her mom briefly and Abby then talked to us both about it. At first I had told her that her best option was to go to the teacher on her “core” team at school and get the idea to her. The reason behind this was simple to me. The lady has 30+ years of teaching experience and no doubt has some pull.
We told Abby that she needed to write-up what she was thinking of doing and make it neat and orderly. She typed it all up and then took it to the principal. I was kinda hurting for her thinking that it would NEVER get off the ground. Administrators in school settings have better things to do than to run a fund-raiser or collect-a-thon for the city mission. Abby came home devastated. She was told that the idea would need to go through the student council. Bureaucracy on a small-scale was my first thought. Yep, I said it. Red tape for little people. Abby was worried that it would be “their” idea and they would take it and change it up.
Fast forward to last night at the local high school whereby Abby has a piece of art that she made on display in the District Art Show. She came up to me all excited and informed me that she was told the collection drive was moving forward. I asked who told her and she responded and I kinda laughed it off in my head because she didn’t say it was a teacher. Then about 10 minutes later she asked if I wanted to meet the person who told her about it and was going to be “in-charge”? Sure, I would meet another kid. On the walk across the room she explained to me it was the faculty adviser to the student council. HUH? Ok, now it just got real.
I met the adviser. Yes, it was real. Yes, this was happening. No, they hadn’t changed a thing. Yes, people were going to get help, all because a 12-year old wanted to ease the suffering and pain some people my age, older than me and younger too are experiencing in a place that is much different from where we came from. When I thought the world wasn’t going to shine much brighter for various reasons that most of us parents of a pre-teen have, I thought I was on the verge of throwing in the towel. In one night she got a prayer answered that was weighing on her heart and also got to display some art she had created. Great job kiddo!!!
Then a beacon shone through. The light is on her now. Our 12-year old daughter had come up with an idea that I first had thought would be a good idea for her classroom or possibly her team. Then the idea mushroomed into the whole school. So, for the next few weeks kids will be taking up donations. Because of my kid. I’m going to smile now for a bit longer. No, a lot longer. There are some other people smiling at her too from up above. She has their hearts.
sahdx3 