Small Things with Great Love

Despite the extreme poverty in Haiti, appearances are incredibly important to the majority of Haitians.  This is especially true when it comes to going to school.  All schools in Haiti have uniforms and if your hair is not done or your uniform is not perfectly washed and pressed, you simply don't go to school.  So, it is not uncommon for me to occasionally have a student stand outside the school in dirty clothes and refuse to come inside.

Today, that was Stanley.  He was wearing jeans several inches too short for his legs and a dirty uniform shirt.  He showed up at our classroom door but refused to come inside.  When my class saw me talking with him encouraging him to join us, they stepped up.

Instead of making fun of him (which is typically the response to such situations), they grabbed his hand and pulled him into the classroom all the while encouraging him not to be embarrassed.

It was quite the "proud teacher moment" for me.  Just when I thought I couldn't smile any wider, my kids surprised me yet again.  Daniel, seeing that Stanley was bare foot, took off his own sneakers and gave them to Stanley to wear.  Daniel spent the entire school day bare foot in order to make Stanley feel better.  He did all of this quietly without drawing attention to himself, and it wasn't until school let out that he asked for his shoes back.

Philippians 2:3

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.