“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” - Arthur Ashe
For the past few years, third-grade teacher, Miss Betori, has been taking her students on an “Others-Focused” field trip to the Feed My Starving Children organization. It is a mission-driven facility that uses volunteer manpower to package food which is then sent to underprivileged people around the world.
Taking her students is, “My favorite trip of the year,” says Betori. “The whole day is about other people. We come together as a class and serve those less fortunate. We put aside our differences to work as a well-oiled machine, cranking out as many meals as we can in a 90-minute session. We put on hair nets, take silly pictures, and have fun working together to further God’s kingdom. It’s a trip both the kids and I look forward to; the day is always a blessing.”
When I was a little girl, I’ll never forget that every time I was feeling low, my mom told me to, “Get out and volunteer.” From soup kitchens to visiting quadriplegics in the hospital, the act of service was always such a blessing to me. I remember telling her that I felt selfish, because I was supposed to be thinking of others, but helping people just made me feel so good. “That’s the whole point,” she would say. “God is using you the way you’re meant to be used, and following His plan for your life feels good.” It’s like my soul was in communion with the purpose of life … to love one another.
Mother Theresa once said, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” It has been my experience here at Westlake, that Miss Betori is a part of the rule, not the exception. This is a cultural norm here, to give, and to be blessed by giving. From the kids who reach across the lunch table to share half of what they have with the friend who didn’t have so much, to the child who chose to spend his recess sitting out on the stairs with a friend who was injured, and couldn’t play … the spirit of Christ’s serving heart is alive and strong, and it beats with a rhythm sweet and true. Thanking God for the melodious minds that are humming the tune of service and salvation in these … our own hallowed halls.
- Mrs. Harris
5th Grade Teacher
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