“The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.' Matthew 25:40
Have you ever lost something that caused an immediate nauseous feeling in your stomach as soon as you could not locate it? Perhaps your nerves have withstood the panic of a misplaced credit card or a forgotten cell phone or an undetected child hiding in a clothes rack at Target? However, one sinking feeling that numerous women experience is looking down on a ring finger and discovering a ring band with bent and empty prongs that once held a diamond!
For some, the problem was caused by a broken ring prong. For others (like yours truly who caught it in a folding door!), damage caused the diamond to fall out. However, despite the cause, the effect is always one of extreme shock, disappointment, and anguish.
Many years ago, one of our substitute teachers greeted me in the hallway and expressed, "Hey if you happen to see something shiny, I happen to be missing something." She held up her left hand and revealed the empty ring setting to me; immediately, my heart sank for her. She quickly added, "It could be anywhere! I've been all around this entire school today, not to mention it could be at my home, car, playground, or parking lot!" We started sharing miracle type stories where it was apparent that only God could have orchestrated the final outcome. After our stories, the substitute teacher returned to the second grade classroom. As she called the students back to the carpet to work for reading, she nonchalantly mentioned to the class, "Hey, by the way, if you happen to see something shiny, please let me know because I lost the diamond out of my ring today." After a few brief minutes, one of the little second grade girls asked, "Is this it?" as she pulled something off of the teacher's comfortable reading chair. Assuming that she had located a sequin or rhinestone, the teacher walked over to investigate. Much to her shock and delight, there in the middle of this little second grader's hand was the actual diamond from the substitute teacher's ring!
What a joy it is to find something that was lost! The amazing part is that the Lord knows that exact feeling and celebrates each time a lost person becomes a devoted Christ follower! As believers, we have been given the command to "Go and make disciples" (Matthew 28:19). As partners in your child's spiritual development, we place high value on opportunities where your child can "go and tell" others about the Lord. One such opportunity is occurring this Friday as St. Matthew Lutheran School hosts our 13th Annual Turkey Trot!
God's Word instructs us to help those who are suffering, especially orphans, and this year, St. Matthew Lutheran School has the opportunity to help orphans living in South Africa.
Christian Outreach For Africa (COFA) has been selected as this year’s mission project for all Michigan Lutheran Schools. COFA seeks to end poverty in Africa by providing recipients the necessary tools to break out of it. Focusing on orphan care, shelter, education, and job training, COFA helps fund sustainable projects that have the potential to have a permanent impact.
COFA will utilize the funds that we raise to provide scholarships for orphans, as well as children in the Mhluzi community, to attend Bethel Christian Preschool and St. Peter Christian School.
By attending these schools, students receive a solid education in a
Christian environment and are fed hearty meals during school days. Students are truly nourished in mind, body, and soul.
As a result, we are utilizing our annual Turkey Trot to raise funds that will assist COFA’s mission to nurture, educate, and share Jesus with children who are in need.
For the past thirteen years, St. Matthew Lutheran School has hosted an annual "Turkey Trot" during the season of Thanksgiving as an avenue for students to provide assistance to a critical circumstance or need. Continuing with this year's school theme, our Student Council will host our 13th annual St. Matthew Lutheran School Turkey Trot on Friday, November 10th, entitled, "Covering South Africa with God's Fingerprints". All funds raised by this endeavor will be sent to COFA, to be used for orphan scholarship assistance.
Students in Preschool through Grade 8 are encouraged to collect pledges from family and friends for the number of laps or time that they will run during the Trot. Then, on November 10, all students will run (trot) around our school soccer field during a designated time of the school day. (Preschool through Grade 4 will “trot” from 9:30 - 10:00 a.m. and Grades 5 - 8 will “trot” from 10:15 - 10:45 a.m.)
We are looking forward to partnering with COFA to assist them in helping those young disciples that are in significant need of love and care. To begin this process, students can start by collecting pledges. Pledge sheets were sent home with each student last week. To obtain a new pledge sheet, please call or stop into the school office.
As a special bonus, anyone raising over $50 will receive a free T-shirt with our "Covering South Africa with God's Fingerprints " logo. What is very endearing about this logo is that it has every St. Matthew students' fingerprint covering a map of South Africa, which was created by 7th grader Preston Marston. (Please know that these shirts will be delivered two weeks after the Turkey Trot.) We are asking that students please bring their completed pledge sheets and collected funds to school on Friday, November 10. In addition, those students who run the most laps in each class and the student that earns the most money will have fun decorating a Student Council member during the concluding ceremony. What does this mean? Stay tuned for details, but it may involve something VERY messy!
As we strive to "Cover South Africa in God's Fingerprints", we are asking God to help us accomplish great things in His name, and we look forward to seeing how God will bless this effort.
In His Love,
Mrs. Palka