“…we can choose to play a different role in the story and choose to care. It’s a choice.…”
Soc. St. 20AP student reflection
This is a Social Studies class that wasn’t content to just talk about the Syrian refugee crisis and about how the world was and should be responding to it. They wanted to be justice seekers and servant workers . With the guidance of their teacher, Mr. Cam Befus, they made a choice to do something. 
Their efforts culminated in a spaghetti dinner held on Dec 3 in the school foyer, with funds raised being sent to World Renew (www.worldrenew.net), a relief and development organization that is working to provide food to Syrian refugee families in camps.
The dinner was a successful fundraiser (see more later in this article). But it’s success went deeper than that and can only truly be communicated through some of the student reflections that follow:
“My thinking has changed because I thought that when it came to such substantial causes in the world, unless you were older or more resourceful nothing could be done. But through this event and what we have learned in our Social 20 AP class I was able to understand that everyone can make a change either large or small.”
Table centre piece–Heb. 13:2
“I learned that the intention of your heart and the activeness of one’s being can make an enormous impact and really show what being a Christian is all about.”
“It has changed the story for me because now I am a part of the story.”
“I have realized that even in your own school you can make a difference and you don’t have to go across the world. God has given me a caring heart and one that desires to help. I realize that more and more whenever I do things for others.
Service was great!
“I feel that God might be nudging me in a direction of helping with this or a another crisis in a large way. However I’m not really sure and will need to prayerfully consider it.”
“Onward after the work we’ve done for the Syrian refugee crisis, I will continue in my full ability to be an active justice seeker in our broken world. For the time I spend on earth, I want to fulfill my duty as a peacekeeper and leave a legacy of love and kindness.”
Lots of work was done behind the scenes.
“While our small effort may not seem like much, I believe that this reflects not only a resolve to play an active role in God’s story, but it also reveals the heart and passion we have here at ECHS.”
“It has changed the story for me because I think it helped me realize that I can actually make a difference.”
“I wish that I did more,… I will take precaution to not miss another chance to do good like that again.”
Choir sings, “This is my prayer in the desert, when all within me feels dry . . . (Desert Song)
“Knowing that we will have an impact in a stranger’s life and well-being has created a sense of calmness and joy in our class and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.”
$2856 dollars raised! When matched by the Canadian government, that becomes $5712. It is enough to feed just about 88 families of 6 for a month. That is significant! But as so often happens, as demonstrated by the student reflections above, the impact is not limited to those 88 families. Our students are changed, because they chose to live into a better story–God’s story. We are blessed and we are humbled.
