“Miss Am-el- i-a! Miss Am-el- i-a! Miss Am-el- i-a!”
That’s what 19 Preschool students seated around a big table started chanting, as I was putting up a picture for the lesson we were about to do. It may sound like a small gesture, but at that moment my heart turned into a big puddle.
Just prior to that, I had been stressing over what a daily chore it is to simply get them ALL seated in their chairs, sitting quietly for a lesson. Boy, the patience it requires EVERY TIME! I wasn’t sure I had enough of it for today.
But now as they chanted my name, and I turned around to see they were all sitting there perfectly (without a word from me!), it was like the Lord was saying, “Your struggles aren’t unseen by Me. Look at all these beautiful children I’ve created in my image. I love them.” I was humbled to think how he has placed me in their lives and has chosen ME to be the messenger of his great love to them. In the one short month that I’ve been teaching at El Manantial.
I’ve found it’s far too easy to get caught up in the details of teaching and all the daily struggles that come with working with children. But just when I lose sight of the real reason I am here, God gives me a little reminder and glimpse of his heart for these precious kids, and all the little struggles become so worth it! I may be a bit partial, but hard days aside, I’ve come to find that the kids here at Manantial are the cutest kids you’ll ever find!
Amelia Klacik is from Chehalis, Washington, originally, and the North Shore of Oahu, more recently. She loves working with children, being creative in the kitchen, and hiking around in God’s beautiful creation. She has a passion for others to receive Christ, to grow in His word, and to return His love by serving Him wherever He leads. She especially loves working with children, which fuels her desire to serve at Global Education Ministries as a teacher.