Synergy: The Power of One

Saturday
Galations 6:2 tells us to bear one anothers' burdens, and in doing so, I've learned we become one: one mind, one heart, one strength. What I've witnessed this week in prayerfully going throughout each day with burden-sharing on my heart has been incredible. Thursday was a prime example.

Health Science students at the Amarillo Area Center for Advanced Learning (AACAL) where I'm principal showed me what it means to care. Their service learning projects where a prime example burden-bearing in action. The morning students gave a "house warming" to the Medical Center League House, a non-profit "home-away-from-home" for relatives and friends of adult patients, similar to Ronald McDonald House, except for adults. The house warming consisted of supplying needed items as identified by the staff at the House, as well as serving punch and baked items to those in residence that morning.

Additionally, the kids decided to raise some money for the House, setting a goal of $250. This is where it gets good. On Wednesday, the day before donating the money, the kids had raised just over $200--not bad, but not their goal either. One of the students' dads is an employee at Excel Energy. The father took this project to his work place and his department raised $300! But that's not the end. Excel always matches employee donations, so in reality, they raised $600, bringing the grand total to over $800.

What I like about this is that it is a perfect example of one of my favorite words: SYNERGY.  A little here, a little there, everyone working together for a common cause--the power of one, the strength of unity. "We are one in the spirit!!" The kids, the adults, the company, spreading the word about the League House--SYNERGY.

Later that same day, the afternoon students presented some household items to the staff at the High Plains Children's Home, as well as explain about AACAL to the staff. In turn, the kids received a lot of information about the purpose of the home, which is a resident care facility for children who've been removed from their families by judges for a variety of reasons, including abuse and neglect on the part of biological parents.

For the entire day, I saw in the students' eyes a true understanding of what it means to be in need and how thankful they were to be in a position to give back. One of the attributes we instill in students at AACAL is to be AWARE of the world in which we live and work, giving back to the community and helping others in need--bearing one anothers' burdens, if you will.

Great week! I can't wait to see what verse God will have me "DO" next week!!