Our school's motto is
So all can serve
And in embracing that motto, two of our co-workers had an idea for a day devoted to acts of service. That way, our kids could take ownership in the school motto. Plus, it would be more than just us existing so their parents (mostly missionaries) could serve. But it was would be a way for them to serve as well.
All of my students were excited.
But leading up to it, one kid in particular, was super excited!
Want to know why?
He wanted to serve like Jesus.
In his incredibly awesome mind, my student felt that by participating in Service Day, as we called it, he was able to be more like Jesus.
After all, Jesus served. So we should do the same.
And that we did.
We had students doing various service projects on our campus, in our community/neighborhood, and also spread out around the city.
There were groups picking up trash on campus, on the sidewalks outside our school walls, and in our neighborhood park.
There were younger kids washing toys, dusting chairs, cleaning out and organizing cabinets. There were also younger kids wiping down door handles and throwing out old papers and books that have been in storage for decades.
There were kids picking up rocks and moving them from ground that will soon house our new (second) campus. And while you'd think that wouldn't be the most enjoyable work, all we heard was good reports of kids laughing and chatting together as they worked, making games out of their work, and more. And all the while, they were working hard, getting the job done.
There was a group of boys that went to a local boys detention center/prison and did a major clean-up project there. And these boys came back laughing and singing and not complaining at all.
There was a group of kids who went to a local school for the Deaf, passing out mosquito nets for the dorm beds, praying over each bed, playing games with the students, interacting with them, and just having fun with them.
The group I led made cookies and Thank you (or rather, Merci) cards. Then they delivered the cookies, juice, and the cards to all of our Senegalese staff members, as a small token of appreciation for the incredibly hard work they do for us each and every day.
And I loved that all day long - even at the end, when everyone was exhausted after working hard all day - I loved that I saw smiles on almost every single face, whether it was a student or a staff member. It was such a great reminder for us all.
A reminder to
SERVE
And that we did.
We had students doing various service projects on our campus, in our community/neighborhood, and also spread out around the city.
There were groups picking up trash on campus, on the sidewalks outside our school walls, and in our neighborhood park.
There were younger kids washing toys, dusting chairs, cleaning out and organizing cabinets. There were also younger kids wiping down door handles and throwing out old papers and books that have been in storage for decades.
There were kids picking up rocks and moving them from ground that will soon house our new (second) campus. And while you'd think that wouldn't be the most enjoyable work, all we heard was good reports of kids laughing and chatting together as they worked, making games out of their work, and more. And all the while, they were working hard, getting the job done.
There was a group of boys that went to a local boys detention center/prison and did a major clean-up project there. And these boys came back laughing and singing and not complaining at all.
There was a group of kids who went to a local school for the Deaf, passing out mosquito nets for the dorm beds, praying over each bed, playing games with the students, interacting with them, and just having fun with them.
The group I led made cookies and Thank you (or rather, Merci) cards. Then they delivered the cookies, juice, and the cards to all of our Senegalese staff members, as a small token of appreciation for the incredibly hard work they do for us each and every day.
And I loved that all day long - even at the end, when everyone was exhausted after working hard all day - I loved that I saw smiles on almost every single face, whether it was a student or a staff member. It was such a great reminder for us all.
A reminder to
SERVE
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