E2Today.com

View Original

Global Service Project Gets Results

A Newtown Square, Pennsylvania school recently took on a service project and got amazing results. Some results were measurable and others were the more immeasurable kind, the kind you feel when you have helped another person.For a Service project for Catholic Schools Week, St. Anastasia school decided to collect money to help build a school in India for the impoverished children of Pandabir. You can read more about it here. The project was suggested by John Gill,  a teacher who had spent time in India visiting his uncle a Jesuit Missionary.IMG_1623Students enthusiastically collected and cheered as the dollar amount rose. To add to the collection, a group of girls decided to make colorful ribbons to add to the penny challenge funds. The girls spent thier own time and money to create ribbons and sell them at the school to students of all grades. They were so happy with the results that they have since been giving additional funds to the project from other fundraisers such as McDonald's night and car washes to name a few.The building of this school was a dream of Fr. John Deeney, SJ who was born and raised in Philadelphia. Through his life, as a Jesuit missionary and priest, he served the poor of India. He was an educator who translated many books and religious writings for the Ho people to tell them about God. He also advocated for the bulding of schools and the St. Paul Mike school was unfinished at the time of his death.While he was in India, his own sister was serving as an Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in Philadelphia. She was a math teacher who served out her last years at Hallahan high school, her alma mater and one of her favorite places to be. This very school is now going to take part in her brother's service project. it is a small world indeed.Measurable results - St. Anastasia raised $7,000 for the St. Paul Mike School Service Project. They invited other schools to participate too and so far one other has joined them.Immeasurable results - Students benefited from knowing that their efforts made a difference in the lives of other children half way around the world.