Heart for Haiti

I probably should've blogged about this story last Monday. I've been telling everyone about it because I'm so darn proud of my students, so I don't know why I didn't think to put it here.

Today, KSBJ (Houston's Christian radio station) is promoting organizations that have been working in Haiti for years and asking listeners to donate to the Christ-based organizations. One of them is World Vision. My students donated $321 to World Vision last Monday, so I emailed Jon and Susan, the morning DJs, to tell them my kiddos' story.

I never expected for the story to be put on the air. My goal was just to let KSBJ know that some 6th graders knew that World Vision was a great group of people to give money for Haiti. However, Susan decided to read the entire email on air (as I was driving to work...tears and driving aren't a good combination folks!). I was so proud of my kids for being an encouragement to others. Many of them heard their story on the radio this morning, so of course we've talked about it a lot today.

Here's the email I sent to KSBJ:

Good morning, Jon and Susan,

I teach geography to 140 awesome 6th graders down in Clear Lake. The earthquake in Haiit hit close to home for me as one of my college roommates spent a long time in Haiti as a teacher. So, the day after the earthquake, my students and I talked aobut what had happened. For 12 year olds, they need a comparison that they could relate to, so we talked about how Ike damaged our schools and home and how much worse Port-au-Prince is right now. As we looked through photos that were age appropriate of the suffering and destruction, they began to ask what they could do. I knew that question would come, and I had an answer prepared for them.

Clear Lake is fairly affluent, though many of my students' families barely m ake rent each month. I didn't want any of my students to feel that they couldn't participate, so I challenged them to ask the their parents, grandparents, older siblings, and adult friends for chores they could do for pocket change. They were given one and a half weeks, could do as many chores as they had time, but couldn't ask for more than $1 per chore (I requested they stick with .25 or .50).

On Monday, January 25th, they money was due. Knowing that I had set pretty touch limits on my kiddos, I wasn't expecting what they gave me. In their desire to help kids just like them, but had lost it all, they bought me $320.56. WOW! God had stirred theirs hearts to clean closets, walk dogs, wash cars in the cold, help little siblings with homework, mow yards, sell baked goods, and more to earn pocket change for Haiti!

That afternoon, we donated the money online to World Vision. We talked about how this organization works with children and their families, and was meeting the needs of people in Haiti for decades, while sharing the Gospel of Christ. Even though I teach many Muslim students, they were all excited about helping World Vision meet the needs of Haiti's people. I think suffering transcends religious boundaries and differences.

Our God is good. He uses His littlest to meet the needs of other, and I haven't stopped praising Him for all He does.

Blessings,

Laura Ozinga