Good Neighbour Day

Speechless, that's how I can best describe it. Let me explain why.

Yesterday, no...I need to back track a couple of months ago. I opened my rather overly enthusiastic mouth and suggested a volunteer day for the whole school. Volunteerism is one of my passions and I would like to pass that onto my students. I didn't realise the headache that would ensue.

My principal was on board with it, so away I went. I had another teacher volunteer to help me, what a blessing she was.

Organizing an event for 160 kids aged 5 to 13 to go out into the community was crazy. Phone calls, brain storming, organizing, blahblahblah, people dropping out at the last minute. By Wednesday night (Thursday was our official volunteer day) I was a little bit unrelaxed. I realised I was trying to control an uncontrollable thing. Our school had NEVER done something like this before so I was going to make all the beginner mistakes. My biggest concern was that there would not be enough work for the students and that they would start to get into trouble while out and about in the community. Right there and then, I told God that it was now His baby and what He wanted to happen would happen.

Morning arrives. BEAUTIFUL DAY!!! Total blessing from God. However, the staff was not beautiful. I got more negativity than I imagined possible, less support that I needed. Now I'm only talking about a portion of the staff. The rest were great, asking what they could do, giving kind words. But my wise sister once said, it takes 5 positive comments to match 1 negative. Not fair!!

However, the students gathered in the gym. Here's the breakdown:
1) 20 students were sent to the food bank to clean shelves, make cards, and stock shelves. The food bank was so pumped to have them and treated them like gold.
2) 40 students were sent to Hagersville to pick up garbage. People were coming out of their stores to thank my students for their work. What a witness!
3) 20 students went to Simcoe to pick up garbage there.
4) 30 students went to two different old age home to sing, clean, colour, talk, and read stories to them.
5) 50 students stayed in Jarvis to clean up the garbage in town.

Overall, the day was very successful!! However, it's funny how a couple of people's negativity can really bring a downer on the day. It should of been exciting to be in the staff room after an event like that, but because of negativity it was a little blah.

I'm just glad that I could call home and know that my parents and sister understand me, they know my where my heart is and they love me regardless of my faults. I pray, hope, and strongly desire that I am not or never will be a negative person.