There are many stories of struggle, pain, and grief among the 275 students of Grace Emmanuel School. There is one student’s story in particular that leaves me both brokenhearted and encouraged, all at the same time—a story, I’m convinced, far from over.
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She is fourteen years old today. She is lovely and kind. She is helpful and gentle. She is generous and sweet. Sometimes, she is feisty. Sometimes, she can be harsh. And sometimes, she has the worst of all attitudes. But above all, she is beautiful. Her name is Kimberly and she has lived at Lighthouse since January 2010.
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He’s an artist with a sweet demeanor, incredible smile, and loads of love to go around. Outside of class he can be found caring for his kindergarten sister, hanging with his best friend Dieunal, or creating a masterpiece.
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It was the second day of school when we heard the news: the home of Dany and Carlos, ninth and tenth grade students and brothers, had burned down in an electrical fire during the school day.
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Playing the violin has always been a dream for Alberte. A tenth grader at Grace Emmanuel School, she has asked me multiple times if there is any way we could offer music lessons. Last June she asked us if she could ask her sponsor to send her a violin for her birthday.
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Anne Marie had long anticipated this day, the day we would visit her older sister, all of us together. She is wearing some of her best, a pretty white button-up blouse with tiny ruffles lining the sleeves and a pair of lavender jeans. I sense the excitement welling in her heart as we all set off down the road.
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