On Tuesday the kids and I had an opportunity to lead chapel. The director of our school, Steffani Wilkins, asked us to share about "The Butterfly Effect" and our "Wheels for the World" project. The kids were very excited when I told them we were going to be doing it and were even more excited on Tuesday.
We started off with introductions. Mrs. Wilkins introduced me and then I introduced the kids. The kids asked me if they were going to be able to take a bow so of course I let them right off the bat. The kids sat down and then I introduced, "Smiley." Smiley is my teaching assistant during our special needs unit.
I told the kids that Smiley is a special wheelchair because it is one that God brought to me. I had used an adult chair with the kids for five years and then it became unavailable to me. I prayed over a summer that God would bring me a wheelchair and I would love to have a child's wheelchair. I knew I could get a wheelchair through different connections, but then I would be worried that I was using one a child could use. So I prayed all summer that God would deliver one to me and then I would know it was fine to use.
One day I had a knock on my door and it was our copier repair man. He leaned into the classroom and said, "I hear you might want a child's wheelchair." I instantly had goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. I was so excited and loved that it even had a happy face on it! Gene, our repair man, had been cleaning out storage for a ministry and had it all loaded on a truck. He had stopped by the school. Mrs. Wilkins asked him what he was doing and asked what he was getting rid of. When she heard about the wheelchair she instantly thought of me. So, Smiley is my gift from God, delivered by Gene.
For chapel it was a little tricky to come up with a way to explain "The Butterfly Effect" and everything you have shared and developed with your students over a month in 20 minutes. It also makes it challenging when the kids are only 3 to 5 years old, but we gave it our best shot.
I held up a little paper fan and started fanning myself. I told them that I love fans (especially the older I get). The fan moves molecules (or little bubbles) of air and they in turn bump into more bubbles of air, and they in turn bump into more bubbles of air. I asked if anyone could feel it and they said no.
Then I brought out a small, but larger fan and turned it on. I asked how many kids could feel that one and a few could. We talked about how the fan could move more bubbles of air because the blades were bigger and there was power behind it. Then I brought a big workshop fan out and turned it on. All of the kids could feel it now! This fan was bigger and more powerful and could move more molecules of air!
I told the kids that I have been teaching a month long unit on disabilities to my kids for the last five years. A disability means someone can't do something or they have to do it differently than most people do. I also shared with them about kids around the world that don't have access to a wheelchair and have to stay in bed all the time. They often can't go to school, to church, or even outside. It has been on my heart to do something about it so every year we raised enough money for one wheelchair.
One night God woke me up in the middle of the night and told me that I needed to make the fundraising efforts bigger. I needed to get the parents to understand what we were doing and then they would help their kids understand. So last year I met with the parents. I didn't do the greatest job casting vision, but God totally covered for me. Anyway, the kids did a great job last year and they have continued the dream this year. All of the kids came up with great ideas for raising money.
I shared with the kids that God also gave me a book, The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews. In the book it explains the theory that when a butterfly flaps its wings it moves molecules of air, which moves more molecules of air, which moves more molecules of air which can eventually cause an earthquake on the other side of the world. I said I don't know if that is true, but I do know that a lot can happen from just one little butterfly.
I had all of my children share what they did to raise money for wheelchairs. They were all very creative and very sacrificial. I will share those ideas in another post. I had the children put a butterfly on a tree after they shared what they did. I also put up a butterfly for me, because I had shared the idea with the parents. I told the kids that it didn't start with me, however. A good friend had shared about "Wheels for the World" with me, so I put up a butterfly for her. I shared that if it hadn't been for Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry wouldn't exist, so I put up a butterfly for her. Someone had told Joni about the need before that.....and then there are the people that collect the wheelchairs, the people that refurbish the wheelchairs, the people that deliver the wheelchairs around the world, and the physical therapists that fit the wheelchairs. We wouldn't be able to put up enough butterflies. We can't trace back all of the people involved. The more people involved and the more power behind it, the more that can happen. In fact, two of my students took their efforts farther and close to $1,000 by sharing with their extended families!
On the walls of our school we started with one butterfly and now look at them. There is a butterfly for each dollar raised. There are not just hundreds of butterflies, but there are thousands because of what 15 kids did. That is amazing! I shared with the kids that they are just one little butterfly, but they can start off a butterfly effect that makes an enormous difference.
I shared the verse from John 13:34, "A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you so must you love one another." We are all called to love and serve one another, no matter what our abilities or disabilities are. We closed with prayer and gave thanks for the ability to walk, run and play, to see, to hear, and to learn. May we have compassion and love for each other no matter what our challenges may be and may God be honored and glorified in all that we do. Amen.
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