Sr. Carol Jean Dust is the Coordinator of Religious Education at All Saints School in St. Peters, Missouri.
As we end another school year in the United States, we celebrate the lives of children whose hearts are really alive with openness to the needs of others. The best messengers of the Gospel are so often found in the voices of children who speak up for and challenge the rest of us to listen to the needs of our brothers and sisters around the world. I share a few that have touched me profoundly this past year.
Cousins Abby and Madeline came into my office from their kindergarten classroom with a sandwich-size Ziploc bag in their hands. It was filled with coins and they proceeded to tell me: “Sister, we got this money for Whole Kids Outreach (their Global Village Partner). Our moms had a garage sale and we sold lemonade to get this money for the poor.” What a delight! And we immediately called Whole Kids Outreach in Ellington to tell them the good news!
Fourth grader Natalie saw me as I was coming into school one morning in the spring. “Sister, I have this for the poor,” she hurried to say. It was a Ziploc bag with black marker writing on it that said: Sister - $5.18 for the poor. Natalie said she had sold drinks on ther street and wanted half of the proceeds to go to Our Lady’s Inn, her homeroom’s Global Village Partner, and the other half to go to the poor. I gratefully accepted, and then asked her if she wanted to separate the money for the two portions. I also reminded her that Our Lady’s Inn was serving the poor if she would like to just give the entire amount to them. She promptly said to me: “I know that. But I also want some money to go to the other poor who aren’t one of our Global Village Partners yet!” How big is Natalie’s heart and vision! And we did divide up the $5.18!
Third grader Alexis appeared at my office after announcements one morning with a big bag in her hand. “Sister, I saved this for the poor from my birthday money and asking people in the neighborhood to help the poor,” she commented. She proudly handed me the bag with $44.75 marked on it! I asked her if she had any particular persons in mind or if she would like to help the poor around here through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. She very seriously listened and chose those close to us. A beautiful smile came across her face with a giant hug from me. My heart just had to smile with God’s!
A final celebration goes to Aly, Hannah, Jessica, Maria, Shannon, Madeleine, Kelly, Clarisse, Ryan, Joey and a number of others throughout the year who grew their hair for “Locks of Love” - helping the self-esteem of children who are victims of cancer.
And Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the reign of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the reign of God as a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18: 16-17) I am witness to this and I have seen that children are already leading us in building the Reign of God.
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