A pivotal moment…
I had a drama teacher in high school that took me aside before graduation and with tear filled eyes but a very strong voice remarked that there was something different about me. He went on to say that this something different was beautiful and it would someday change the world and he would expectantly sit back and wait to see it happen.
Changing the world seemed like a remarkable feat for a teenager, but his words charged me to go into the world and to make a difference. It was as if I was being sent out and others were depending on me to do something meaningful with my life. That moment was highly motivating and made me feel like someone really believed that I had what it took to bring hope to a broken world. I still recall Mr. Smith’s words as a source of empowerment.
At the Homework House our hope is that the students we serve would have several opportunities through our caring staff, tutors and mentors to be encouraged to be and do their best.
Please let us know your story!
-Abigail Gaines
Jan Wickersham said,
November 7, 2007 @ 1:05 am
This story goes back many years when I was a fourth grade teacher. I had invited a friend of mine to visit our class as a special guest. She was born blind but had never allowed her handicap to keep her from being a contributing member of society. She worked at Children’s Hospital with autisic children, sang in the choir, was a psychologist to name just a few things.
In preparation for her visit, the children were asked to think of 10 really good questions as part of a homework assignment. We had a wonderful day as my friend, Carolyn fielded the questions from the children. As we were winding down, she asked if there were any more questions. A girl raised her hand and asked the most profound question. She asked, “Are there any advantages to being blind?” Carolyn thought for a minute. Then she said, “Yes, there is one. I never get fooled by outside packages. I can only see people from the inside”. That incident will stay with me until the day I die.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Karen Rouggly said,
November 8, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
In college, I went on a mission’s trip to South Africa. It was there that I met a man who would change my life. His name is Pierre, and he showed me daily what a true servant of God looked like. He was constantly seeking after the Lord in everything he did. One day, we were driving in the car and he asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I told him that I knew I wanted to help people, enourage them and show them Christ’s love. And he said, “Tell me who you have done that for today?” And I came up blank. He said, “You can’t want to do something with your life in the future and not have it spill over into the present.” I knew from that moment that I needed to make sure that I was making my actions were giving evidence to my words. Pierre taught me a life lesson that day, half way around the world. And God has continued to use him to teach me many more. Pierre, that day was my help, he was my enourager and he has continued to show me Christ’s love.
Jordan said,
November 28, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
Carrie was a teacher I had in college, and through our love/hate relationship we grew extremely close. She’d cry with me when I was frustrated, challenge me when I didn’t feel like budging, and vulnerably open her life up to the class so we could learn from her experiences. She was a single lady that deep down desperately wanted to have children and (I think) would have liked to be married as well. I’ll never forget the day of my graduation when she was waving almost like a proud aunt from the crowd as I walked across the stage to receive my diploma. Shortly afterwards, she walked up to me, and with tears in her eyes told me that if she ever has a daughter she hopes she would be like me. I am not telling this story to show how great of a person I am, on the contrary. Carrie was someone I admired and looked up to, and it was extremely inspiring to know that she thought highly of me even when she had seen some of my worst moments of anger, self-righteousness and pride. I hope to make her proud and someday inspire someone else the way that she has inspired me.