Our Stories
Let Your Light Shine
By Carmen Pampeyan
The work of a School Chaplain varies from each community, depending on its needs. However, one thing is always consistent: Loving others. One of the main ways I love my school community is by feeding them. While there are many verses that talk about this topic, one of my favourites is found in Isaiah 58:10 “Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”
I run a breakfast club two days a week and always make sure I make plenty of sandwiches for students who need lunch. I frequently make up food hampers to help families that may be struggling and give away monthly “Happy Hampers” to offer encouragement and support. I recently ran a Pantry Drive asking families from my school to donate (non-perishable) food items to help re stock my pantry.
Some of the most rewarding times as a Chappy are those when I’ve been able to give a family a hamper and they have received it with true gratitude and tears in their eyes. This year my school community has experienced houses burning down, parents with cancer, students needing surgery and loss of jobs. I’m so grateful I can love my school community in such a tangible way. By feeding the hungry and helping those in trouble, I pray that God’s light will shine in my school community and His light will be as bright as noon!
(Carmen has been working at Urangan Point State Primary School for three years now. If you would like to make a food donation towards the breakfasts or hampers, or to just encourage Carmen in her role as a School Chaplain, please contact her at cpamp6@eq.edu.au)
The work of a School Chaplain varies from each community, depending on its needs. However, one thing is always consistent: Loving others. One of the main ways I love my school community is by feeding them. While there are many verses that talk about this topic, one of my favourites is found in Isaiah 58:10 “Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”
I run a breakfast club two days a week and always make sure I make plenty of sandwiches for students who need lunch. I frequently make up food hampers to help families that may be struggling and give away monthly “Happy Hampers” to offer encouragement and support. I recently ran a Pantry Drive asking families from my school to donate (non-perishable) food items to help re stock my pantry.
Some of the most rewarding times as a Chappy are those when I’ve been able to give a family a hamper and they have received it with true gratitude and tears in their eyes. This year my school community has experienced houses burning down, parents with cancer, students needing surgery and loss of jobs. I’m so grateful I can love my school community in such a tangible way. By feeding the hungry and helping those in trouble, I pray that God’s light will shine in my school community and His light will be as bright as noon!
(Carmen has been working at Urangan Point State Primary School for three years now. If you would like to make a food donation towards the breakfasts or hampers, or to just encourage Carmen in her role as a School Chaplain, please contact her at cpamp6@eq.edu.au)