Going the Extra Mile

I found myself at a dance competition for a few hours last week. To be honest, it’s not the place anyone who knows me would immediately associate with me. In fact, on one memorable occasion, at a fundraising ceili in a previous church, the caller came down from her chair to give off to Vicky and myself, asking what we thought we were doing?!! The simple answer was, we were trying to follow the instructions, but I don’t think we were making much of a job of it.

On this occasion, we were there to support our daughter Lucy, who was part of her school dance team. They were participating in a schools competition and were the first special needs school in the history of the competition to take part.

The competition represented the culmination of many hours of practice and rehearsal. Some of the classroom assistants and teachers had been really involved in the process and took part in the dance. A huge amount of logistical preparation was required to have enough staff present to look after our children with complex needs. The school got fully involved in the project as it required having sufficient staff for the children at the competition, and also having enough staff back at base in school to look after the complex needs of other pupils also.

The excitement was palpable as we gathered at 9.15 at the leisure centre in Lisburn. A bus arrived with some of our children and teachers and classroom assistants, others had come with parents in cars and vans. There were feeding pumps beeping and children getting disconnected as the teachers and classroom assistants took them away to get changed and into their costumes. There were official photographs to be taken and we watched some of the other schools warming up and performing.

Some of the classroom assistants had secured funding so our children had official bags, tee shirts and hoodies. They also had beautiful blankets to keep them warm in their wheelchairs as they waited to go on. It was amazing to see how professional they all looked and to realise just how much effort had gone into preparing the children for their special performance.

I was warned in advance that I might shed a tear when we saw them performing, but I don’t think that prepared me for what unfolded. The principal of the school took time out of her busy day to come and watch the magic happen and spoke like all of us about the butterflies in our tummies as we waited to see the performance.

When the team was announced as being the first team of children with special needs to participate in the competition, they got such a welcome. They got a standing ovation before a note was played and, once the music started, they went straight into their routine.

The striking thing for me was the joy on the children’s faces. They loved their time on that floor and poured everything into it. The teachers and classroom assistants were magnificent. As the wheelchairs moved around and the more mobile students did their dance, there was such energy and positivity throughout the hall. Those teachers and classroom assistants who pushed the chairs and guided the students wanted their pupils to shine, and somehow managed to deflect all the focus away from themselves onto their students.

Sometimes parents are guilty of living vicariously through their children. Whatever they lack in themselves, they sometimes try to foster in their children. Poor Lucy was never going to be blessed with twinkletoes dancing genes from her father, but she was given a very special opportunity to shine and to be part of a memorable experience.

It would never have been possible without her school believing and investing in the project. This was very obvious in how the principal attended, in how her amazing teachers and classroom assistants immersed themselves in preparing for the day. All the details were planned from the costume changes to ensuring risk assessments were carried out. The team got magnificent support from everyone back at school who kept the ship afloat while staff were involved heavily on the day in both places.

It has been our ongoing experience through Lucy’s school career that all these people have dedicated their lives to helping our children with complex needs to shine. The thoughtfulness with which this was planned, and the confidence and joy with which they took to the floor, are a tribute to these incredibly dedicated, professional and inspirational people.

I wonder in the church can we spot opportunities to help people to shine? Maybe there are those who are struggling under the weight of grief or difficult personal circumstances. Maybe there are those who are quiet and shy and have never had an opportunity to volunteer or try something they would dearly love to do?

It takes a team to work together to somehow release those gifts and opportunities. The church has a powerful resource at its disposal to enable those things to happen. The gift of God’s power, the Holy Spirit which is often channelled through the most unlikely of people. Can we humbly under God seek to release it and enable others to discover the joy and love that comes from realising God is near and is behind all of it.

If you are free, why not come along to the Diocesan celebrations for St. Patrick’s Day in Downpatrick next Tuesday. There will be a celebration of Holy Communion in Saul at 9.00 am, a pilgrimage walk to the cathedral and the festival service at 11.45 am, with the Finnish MP, Dr Paivi Rasanen, speaking on the theme ‘Faith Under Fire.’

Could I ask you to hold in your prayers the family of Caroline Darragh whose funeral will take place on Friday 13th March at 12.45 pm in the church.

Much love to everyone,

Jono.

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