the upper school chapel at our school today was dedicated to haiti. donations from our school over the past several years have helped build two schools in haiti, both of which were damaged in the recent earthquake and are currently unusable. the children who attend those schools and their teachers? we've received very little information about how they are doing. having a sister school in haiti has meant that i am feeling a connection with this earthquake and the people who were affected. i am also feeling so uplifted by our students and their thoughtfulness, their care, their motivation, their hope, their desire to help these people so far away. the reading in chapel today was from matthew 25, and ended with this line:
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
the "I" and "me" in matthew is jesus, but sitting in that chapel, surrounded my our students who came to the altar with donations for the people of haiti, the "I" was me. i'm not religious, but for the first time ever i was truly moved by a biblical verse. and by "moved," i mean i cried a lot, through the rest of the service: our students' songs and piano music and poems, all in honor of the people of haiti. (don't worry - willis held my hand and tried not to look freaked out.) the way we treat each other is the important thing in life. and i'm a part of a community that gets that. i am such a lucky girl.
(sounds like i'm totally drinking the kool aid, huh?)
it makes me think of this (overused, but i don't care) john donne quotation:
"No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."
Thank you, Willis.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you, HIES, for caring and taking action to help others.