We have been busy at St. Francis School in Lumberton. Our students and staff enjoyed Catholic Schools Week that was filled with spirit days, races and competitions. We completed our retreat where we focused on the many ways that “God Saves.” Each teacher took an area of interest, and came up with activities to help our students explore God’s saving power. Ms. Greene shared God’s protection through the Old Testament stories of Ruth and Daniel. Ms. Sommers explored God’s six covenants, and showed us how no matter how often humans broke the covenants, God introduced a new one to offer us His salvation. Ms. Talamante explored how making time for God through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, allows us to hear God’s call. Ms. Hope explored God calling us to action. Sister Memis focused on the Beatitudes, and the hope they offer us. Sister Agnes introduced games to learn and call on the name of God.

We found ways to share with our families the three pillars of Lent: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. For fasting, we challenged our students and their families to choose something they can give up. For prayer, we encouraged our families to listen to a daily Gospel reading from “The Catholic Sprouts Podcast.” For almsgiving, we collected necessities for Casa Hogar Bethel, the orphanage we have partnered with. Each of our students made an Easter basket and a blanket for their pen pal at Casa Hogar Bethel.

One of our great accomplishments this year has been this partnership with Casa Hogar Bethel, an orphanage for children in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Casa Hogar Bethel has the same number of children as our students, and we assigned each student a pen pal at Bethel. We collected and took 39 blankets to Bethel, all of them quilted or handcrafted with the help of family members and friends. We have found opportunities to share our resources with the greater world outside of our small school community. We are very proud of our students for wanting to help provide for those in need outside of our community.