I pray He'll use us

One of the (many) talks I loved from conference was Sister Sharon Eubank's.  She talked about the humanitarian efforts the Church has participated in lately.  It makes me grateful for so many good people who give their time and talents.  My own contribution feels puny, but I know lots of puny contributions add up.

During her talk, I also thought about some of my students.  Some of them are newly from other countries.  Since school started, we've had a boy from Mexico and a boy from Guatemala move in.  We've learned we'll have another third grader from Columbia and one from Uruguay.  

I don't know their stories.  I don't know why they are here or what they had to go through to get here.  

Here's what I do know:  I know we're going to welcome them.  We will try to communicate with them.  We will smile at them and include them and feed them if they're hungry.  Every teacher has snacks.  Every teacher.

I wish we could communicate with them better and teach them better.  Our small efforts feel puny and inadequate.

But I'm hoping it will add up.  Talking about answering other peoples' prayers, Sister Eubank said, "I pray He'll use us."

I don't know if any prayers have been uttered for these little ones that come my way.  I pray that I'll be able to help though.

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

I'll never be a build a wall kind of person.  Welcoming immigrants makes me proud to be an American.