First Baptist Church of Herndon

Start Small

Linda Soller | Jun 24, 2019

A teacher had lost her sister in a car accident. The deceased had $20.00 on her at the time of her death. It was what she had made in tips for her last night of work. The teacher thought how can I honor and keep my sister’s memory with only $20.00? She held on to it while she tried to decide. She added to it now and then, but still she couldn’t decide. One day, four years later, while discussing a book with her class, she wondered, what if she gave each student $20.00 to do something kind for someone else? Each of the twenty-six 9^thgrade students were given $20.00 to do something kind. Initially many of the students talked about pooling funds or investing so they could do something big. The teacher told them of a day when a stranger in the line for coffee in front of her paid for her coffee and how special it made her day. Gradually the students became comfortable with the value of small actions. So, it began. A waitress got a $20 tip for the purchase of a milkshake. Seniors about to miss graduation due to library fines learned someone had paid them. Homeless women in the community were given personal hygiene supplies. Well, you get the picture. Some of the students began to save so they could give again in the future. Word got out and the teacher found herself with enough donated funds to continue the project. She had never expected the response she got from the students or the community. The project started simply to honor a young woman she loved and missed. A young woman who had valued serving others. 

Most of us, like the students, think if we can’t do something big, why bother. We can’t imagine how a small amount of money or a small action can hold much value. Perhaps this comes from us having more than we need, which is different from more than we want. Just ask someone with great need, how important any small thing can be. The lesson for us all from this teacher is to start small but start!

How will you start your week? :o) Linda

This is a true story of the teacher Kristina Ulmer, the sister she lost Katie Amodei, and the students at Hatboro-Horsham High School. Katie is not forgotten.