Tonight, I had to write. My mind, rather my heart, is about to explode with joy. I've been waiting for this day all week. My story leading up to today actually starts awhile back... I'll start at the beginning. A few weeks ago my students at school had a music concert. I was talking with one student named Daveon as asking if he was coming. He said no because mom doesn't have a car or insurance. He talked about how much he wanted to come. Now you have to know that Daveon lives with 7 people in a low income housing area. It's not a good neighborhood, the live off little, they have little. Well at that point it was a burden on my heart and had the concert not been that night I would have thought of a way to get him there....but needless to say it was last minute and I let it go. Well about 2 weeks later I was talking with another student who goes to Eastivew and is part of the Kidsview program. Daveon happened to be near us and kinda jumped in on our conversation and said, "I wish I could go there..." As days went on I thought of this comment and my heart got heavy. Here is a child wanting to go to church and has never had the opportunity.....so I began to think. I knew that Eastview was having a Christmas concert and I thought what a perfect opportunity to have him come with me! After jumping through some hoops and getting some advice I was able to get the moms permission to drive Daveon and his brother Marquette to the concert. At first it was just my intention to bring these two boys.....but when your car has three seat belts in the back seat, why not use all three :)
Sooo...
I had something else come up this week that kinda took me back for a minute. I have this student in my class that came from another school last year where he was suspended many times. He had red flags written all over him when he came...but like all things....God's in the business of making all things and people new. I never for a minute believed that Carmelo wasn't within the grasp of bringing back. I have made it my mission this year to invest in him and build a relationship. Without a relationship nothing will change. Well, I'm so thankful that God gives me tangible reminders of His changing power. I need those tangible reminders. This week we were on the carpet in the class reading a book and two kids were talking and I told them to move their clips down when we were done reading. Well when we were done Carmelo came up to me and said something I have never had a student ask...Now Carmelo was at the top of the chart these other boys were about to move down and miss 5 min of recess. Well, he said, "Miss Boline, can I move my clip down instead of those boys so that they don't have to and I'll take the consequence for them?" I was thrown back.....the selflessness and Christ like behavior from a 3rd grader. That's when I knew that this child need to come with me the Christmas concert and fill that third seat belt....and sure enough mom said yes he could come too.
So tonight, I headed to their houses excited to share this time with them. Actually, way beyond excited!!
I was supposed to bring cookies to the concert and I asked the boys who wanted to bring them in...they all did, so I divided them up so that all boys could bring something in to serve. Together they took it to the counter. Watching them give and serve was priceless.
As we were leaving, I looked around and realized I was missing one of the students. There way, way behind was Carmelo. I looked back and saw him holding the inside door for a very elderly lady who was still rather far from approaching the door. My heart sank to see this. What an act of kindness. Here was a third grader being observant enough to notice a lady who could use a door being opened for her. Well Daveon noticed too and he went running to hold the outside door open for her. As a teacher I talk about kindness all the time, but seeing them act it out in real life settings is the reason I teach. They are giving back to society. They are loving people, serving people, and showing kindness...and it makes me cry. Really it makes me thank God that he has blessed me with the ability to love these boys.
The truth of life is this.....when you invest your time in others, the reward and return will always be greater than what you could ever imagine.
