Balitmore here I come

Thursday, November 18, 2010

All my bags are packed, and in the morning I’ll travel with two students and three staff to Baltimore for donor appreciation luncheons.

When I prepare to travel, I inevitably spend the day before sorting through the piles of paperwork on my desk trying to make sure I’ve not overlooked something that should have been done yesterday. My day was taken up with lots of ten and fifteen minute tasks, sandwiched around three meetings. When I’m flustered and not centered, those tasks can seem bothersome. Today, I was able to do them with a good spirit, realizing that it’s the little chores in life that when offered up to God are the acts that can help me grow spiritually.

In the business office the good news is that we’ve done a great job of keeping up with the mail, so that people will get a speedy thank you. The bad news is that this time of year we like to be a little more behind because we’re getting so much mail. That isn’t the case this year – so many people are having to make do with less because of the economy, and have to cut back on some things, and we understand that.

Brother Clay and I met for a supervisory meeting. Brother Clay has just one month left working in the school as part of his internship, and I’ve enjoyed his presence in our religious community, and the difference he’s made in the lives of our students. He will return to Chicago to start his Master’s degree after Christmas. Working with the students as a tutor has been a growth experience for Brother Clay. Besides helping him learn patience, he sees how important it is to understand the other stresses going on for the students in their homes here, and their “home homes” as the students call them. Those issues certainly affect their ability to concentrate and learn.

Author: St. Joseph's Indian School

At St. Joseph's Indian School, our privately-funded programs for Lakota (Sioux) children in need have evolved over 90 years of family partnership, experience and education. Because of generous friends who share tax-deductible donations, Native American youth receive a safe, stable home life; individual counseling and guidance; carefully planned curriculum based on Lakota culture and individual student needs and tools to help build confidence, boost self-esteem and improve cultural awareness. All of this helps children to live a bright, productive, possibility-filled future. View all posts by St. Joseph's Indian School