Looking for the Face of Jesus

In our society, we often get caught up with the idea that "bigger is better" and that only the wealthy or well-connected can make a difference in the world. Here's a short item about how a small Catholic elementary school in northeast Wisconsin is changing that perception:

"At St. Mary Parish in Algoma, we sing a beautiful hymn with the lyrics, 'Open my eyes Lord, help me to see your face.' During Lent, the students in the 4th grade had their eyes opened and saw the face of the suffering Jesus in the homeless people who use St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter in Green Bay.

St. Mary Catholic School Principal Laura Krzysiak requested that during Lent each class choose a service project centered on almsgiving. In order to motivate the students, the teachers of grades 3 - 5 suggested participating in a 'Pennies for Peace' rally. The winning class, the one with the most pennies, would receive a special prize. Each class chose a different organization as the recipient of their money, so each class won in the eyes of God -- because helping someone always makes you a winner! Ms. Nicole Halada's 4th grade class, consisting of eight children, chose to help the homeless shelter. They had heard about the shelter on the TV news and knew it was looking for donations.

The children worked very hard to collect money. Ms. Halada stipulated that the children had to earn the money themselves, not just ask their parents for money. That was part of the almsgiving. Some students shoveled snow, cleaned for their grandparents, and even used their allowance to get pennies for the classroom. By the end of Lent, the eight children had collected $127.89.

The following week, the children and their teacher travelled to Green Bay to shop for supplies. They bought blankets, pillows, toiletries, and some men's clothing items. They spent $127.41. After lunch, the students pooled their leftover money to buy bus tokens.

Later on, the students visited the shelter to present the supplies to Ms. Mary Marks, director of the shelter. She gave the students a tour of the facility, showing the children where the people ate, slept, and stored all their belongings. They were able to see where the clients spent time with the volunteers to play games, watch television, or just sit and talk to pass the time. They learned that supper is served nightly, and is brought in by various groups. They learned that the idea behind the shelter is to make sure that all of the clients get at least one hot meal a day, take care of personal hygiene, or wash clothes in a newly-donated washer and dryer.

This eye-opening experience gave students and chaperones a closer look at what it means to care for all God's people. They experienced first-hand that if everyone can do a little something, then we can help many people. Ms. Halada summed it up: 'The kids and I all realize how lucky we are and we pray each day at morning prayer for all those who are less fortunate than we are.'"