Light of the world...

A Story of One Life All Lit Up

The following true story comes through one of our volunteers:
Yesterday afternoon was a breakthrough. No, there wasn’t a clap of thunder or a flash of lightning in the sky, but it was just as startling and beautiful to behold.
A little girl in our year 1 RE class has had real problems. She has a terrible time with any sort of change.  Having a team of people coming into her class to teach for just one hour each week has been very difficult for her. She was always distressed and found it difficult to cope. Gradually there have been signs that things were getting better.
Yesterday the class was making a Christingle. We work in small groups of children with one adult volunteer at each table. This little girl was sat at a separate table working one-on-one with the teaching assistant, whilst the rest of her group was working together at a nearby table.
As part of the Christingle, the children were allowed to eat grapes, pieces of banana and apple. For the first time, the little girl wanted to join in with the class activity and asked if she could have some fruit. Gradually, it became a game, and the little girl was giggling happily as she came across to take some more fruit.
For me, that was a breakthrough. That’s why we do what we do. It may be only one small step, but it was a giant one for this little girl, nonetheless.
— David Francis