Today I helped out at a "fun day" that Mac's school organized for the students of a less fortunate school that they've partnered with. There are events throughout the year with the other school - a Christmas party with presents, a health fair, this fun day, etc - and the students at both schools have a chance to mingle with each other.
As one of exactly three parent volunteers who were there, one of my "jobs" was to wander around the school's sports complex where the event was taking place and make sure that each of the 120+ students from the partner school had a CGB student partner (of which there were more than enough for one-on-one partnering). There were bouncy castles, art stations, parachuting games with water balloons, snacks and lunch, plus the kids could play on the soccer field and playground equipment.
I helped at the art table for awhile and then spotted a young teenaged girl sitting by herself. I went over to talk to her and asked if she didn't want to participate in any of the activities. She was 14 years old and didn't talk a whole lot but she though she was too old for the bouncy castles, she didn't want to play soccer because there were no other girls playing, and her friends were off doing other stuff so she was okay just sitting under the tree by herself.
She was such a beautiful girl. She answered all my questions so I eventually learned that she's the oldest of 6 children, she has 3 cousins and 1 sibling who attend this school, she likes to cook and she cooks a lot for her family, and she wants to be a singer. We walked around some and she did eventually do an art project, she introduced me to her school's director, she pointed out her cousins and brother, and then finally she ran off to play her friends.
No matter where we live, and that includes when we're back in the US, I always have a moment (or a thousand) where I think "there but for the grace of God". We don't have an extravagant lifestyle by any means but I'm sure to this young girl, it seems that way. Or if not extravagant, then at least my life must seem a lot easier than hers from the outside looking in. And it is a lot easier than hers just by a stroke of good DNA luck and divine intervention that allowed me to be born where I was, to the parents I was born to, in the part of the world where I was born.
For the blessings of my life, I am truly thankful.
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