Ambassadors for Elders
Welcome back to our last week of service to the elderly at the Albumen Omelette Oasis!
A Painting and a Concert
As the Eggs were completing their last few weeks of service at the Oasis, Seggourney couldn't wait to reveal her painting to Megg. She had been taking lessons from Great Aunt Flo, and now her masterpiece was complete. She wrapped it in silver paper and tied a sparkly red bow around it. She handed it to Megg. "Here, Megg. I painted this for you. Merry Christmas!" Megg opened the painting - it revealed a scene of the two girls standing in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa when they were in Italy last year. Megg stared at it a long time as tears ran down her cheeks. "It's beautiful, Seggourney. I will cherish it always."
Later that evening, it was finally time for the holiday concert. The Eggs gathered in front of an anxious crowd of residents and began to sing the most beautiful concert - the residents' faces glowed as they watched the Eggs sing their hearts out to new and traditional songs. Seggourney sang a solo which brought the crowd to their feet in a standing ovation, but the show-stopper came at the end. Benedict and Uncle Yolkus came up with a snappy dance routine that wowed the crowd. It was the best concert ever given at the Oasis, as the crowd clapped for what seemed to be a half- hour after the concert! Refreshments and congratulations were enjoyed by all! And Reggie was sure glad Uncle Yolkus was back to his lively self!
Connecting to the World
The last week of school before the holiday break arrived. Ms. Poach asked the children how they would like to connect their service to their travels last year. Greggory told her that they had been in contact with Lishy in Australia and Takumi in Japan. They set up pen pals for elderly residents in their countries to write to the residents of the Albumen Omelette Oasis. They will write to each other once a month. Ms. Poach loved the idea!
The Eggs learned so much about the senior generation - they grew to love going to the Oasis and wanted to continue it into the future, maybe even helping the residents write their pen pal letters!
Family Activity
Examine our own family situation and make sure we are doing our part in caring for and respecting the dignity of the elderly in our own circle. Then widen our circle of compassion to include those who have no one else. Doing more, especially for someone not known to us personally, takes a concerted and committed effort. The reward of our effort not only benefits the elderly we may come to care for but also sets an incredible example for our children regarding the potential size of our circle of compassion. The reach is endless, and sometimes our children become the greatest advocates for change. Children who have the opportunity to serve the elderly will definitely tell others about their experience. The chain of positive reaction is endless.
If you had a chance to visit an elderly care center in your area, consider a return visit. This time ask the Director if there might be a resident that doesn’t get a lot of visitors. If so, pay a visit and bring a home-made card, a balloon, a flower, or simply some big smiles. You and your child or class will make that person’s day and possibly the rest of her or his life.
I wish you a beautiful and blessed Holiday Season! Generosity is always in style, but you can especially touch someone's heart with the spirit of giving (giving of your time, your talent or your treasure) during this time of peace on earth and goodwill toward each other.
See you in January with a new service project!
Wishing you all GOOD things,
Sandy
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