An Unexpected Journey

Two years ago I walked into an interview for what I thought was a teacher aide position. I walked in, somewhat confident, and answered their questions. The next day the principal called and offered me the job. I accepted. After I hung up the phone I kept going over a few things she had mentioned and I began to think that the position I had just accepted wasn't a regular aide position. I called her back, and to my surprise she told me that it was an aide in the special ed room. Immediately I panicked inside. I thought, "I don't know the first thing about children with special needs. I can't do this." But Clint reminded me that I had prayed about it and that God would help me do this job.
First day of school, I got my assignment- I would be helping in the kindergarten classroom. "Right on," I thought. "This will be great!" But then walked in Stasia. A five year old little girl with special needs. I was to be her assistant. After about the first week of school, I was wondering what in the world I had gotten into. I really had to rely on God and ask Him to give me strength and wisdom to know how to interact with her.
Over the past two years, I learned a lot through working with Stasia. I learned when to stand my ground with her and when to give a little. I learned to listen to her wild stories and even to interact with her in them. And wow, did some of them make me laugh! Sometimes she would make me laugh so much that she would start laughing too and say, "Miss Kim, you're so silly!" I learned how to encourage her in her work and how to get her to want to do her best. And from time to time, she would say, "Miss Kim, we're friends. We're a team!" And that's what we became... a team. And on those tough days when she was a bit more stubborn and I would be praying that God would help me contain my frustration, she would stop and look at me and say, "Miss Kim, I love you. Can I have a hug?" Wow. God is good.
After resigning at the school and on my last day, it was all I could do to not cry when I was with her. I knew I would not get to be with her this next year. When I said 'goodbye' and started to walk out of the classroom, she yelled, "Bye Miss Kim! Bye!" My heart felt so heavy and sad.
I think back to that day when I thought I couldn't do this job... What if I had called the principal back and said, "I can't take this position."? I thought about it. Wow... I would have missed out on one of the most amazing journeys of my life. Meeting Stasia brought me more joy than I ever thought a job could... but, she wasn't my job... she became my friend and I will always hold her in my heart. I wouldn't be the person I am today if God hadn't taken me on this unexpected journey.

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

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