She Paid Attention
From as young as I can remember, I have hated math. At school, I saw no purpose in long division when short division worked just fine. Numbers had no appeal. Other than giving me the ability to add up my stash as I hoarded my allowance, numbers, as far as I was concerned, were just necessary evils.Words on the other hand were magical. Words could weave delightful spells that mesmerized me on a daily basis; they could excite, they could make me shiver with anticipation or with fear. Words made time-travel, space-travel and even donkey-cart-travel possible as I sat huddled over a beloved book. Words, I also discovered, could insulate me from boring math classes.
In the 7th grade I had a teacher that repeatedly found me reading story books that were carefully tucked away behind my math text book. My intense interest in the math text book clearly did not fool her. She did an amazing thing though. Instead of punishing me she encouraged me. Actually, she bribed me. If I would pay attention in math class, she would arrange with the school librarian that I could get three extra library cards. This would in effect allow me to take out double the amount of books a week than what I was officially allowed to. Although I never learnt to like math, I learnt to pay attention enough to get me through high school.Looking back, I am grateful to my 7th grade teacher. She paid attention. She cared. She made an enormous difference in my life.I am sure that each one of us can think back to somebody who paid attention, who went beyond what was necessary and in doing so made an impact on our lives.I wish I could find the right words to keep you reading. I know how easy it is at this point to shut off, but I’m going to ask you to indulge me. As I write, I hope that mere “words”, words that I love so much, will touch you and reach you.Many of you know me personally and have walked alongside our ministry in some way or another. Today I am asking if you would consider doing something that will make an enormous difference in somebody else’s life.Would you attend The Orange Ball? By simply attending this event, you have no idea how much of a difference you will make - really make - just by attending one function. I can guarantee that you will enjoy the evening immensely as you get magically transported to a village in Africa. And as you travel with us, you will literally save and change a life. Many lives. Many times over. In so many ways. I don’t have the space here to tell you all the ways in which you being at The Orange Ball will make a difference. I am hoping you will attend and find out for yourself.So, this is a personal invitation from me to you. Would you join me? If yes, you can buy a ticket online for yourself, for a friend or donate one so that we can make some freely available to others. AND please email me and let me know you are coming. Just hit the email icon at the top right of my site. I would love to hear from you.If ever you have considered responding to me or commenting, today would be the day.
