In 2012, I realized that I had lots of spare time in my days. I was no longer working and since my mother’s passing I no longer had to help with her care giving. I was looking for a place to volunteer. A friend, whose husband was the director of Gainesville Community Ministries, suggested I start there. They needed a Language Arts teacher, so that is the position I took. Twice a week I meet with students who, for a variety of reasons, do not have a high school diploma. We work on reading and writing – but mostly reading. I have also volunteered with the adult literacy program at the public library.

 

I cannot imagine what it must be like to not be able to read; to see street signs or store advertisements and not know what they are saying; to be given a note from your child’s teacher, written directions, or a piece of paper to sign and not being able to comprehend the words on the paper. Think of the number of verses in the Bible that instruct us to study God’s words – how do we study it if we cannot read and comprehend it?

 

One of my favorite parables from the New Testament is The Good Samaritan. As we go about our day, we come across opportunities to show God’s love to our neighbors; and as Jesus said, our neighbors are the people we encounter in our daily life. One of the lessons I take from this parable is that we are called to notice others and show kindness, but we are also called to make a commitment. The Good Samaritan promised that on his return journey he would check on the man he had helped.

 

My commitment is to meet twice a week with people who haven’t had the advantages or encouragement that I have been blessed with and to offer both of these to them. I encourage each of you to be aware of the neighbors God puts in your path.

 

 

Janice Ladd