What a Day!

It’s actually early Thursday morning.  I finished some paperwork that needed tending to.  It’s been a busy day, with the usual school-related happenings.  It was a remarkable day, nonetheless.  Let me explain.

I had been more than a bit concerned about the amount of scholarships I had committed to finding to keep many students in the schools around the state.   Principals and pastors had been working to try to help parents take a step of faith and enroll the children in our schools.  The amount needed was growing daily.  But we had taken a bold step, trusting that God would provide the means. 

I had sent a letter to the constituency across the state and to my children, hoping to establish a fund that would provide the seed money for the growing needs.  The results up to date had been meager compared to the need.  I was already preparing to write a second letter to the membership to let them know the amount of money that would be needed to cover the shortfall between the students’ finances and the cost of tuition.  I had received dozens of completed scholarship applications from students from Kindergarten to 12^th grade.

As a matter of fact I had spent the greater part of the morning poring over worthy student applications and reports for Thunderbird Academy’s Worthy Student Fund Committee that was meeting in the afternoon.  We had set $50,000 dollars aside in the TAA budget to assist worthy students.  But the conference-wide need was greater, considering the elementary students that had applied to the yet to be matured education fund.  I received an email that required my presence at the conference office—a rarity nowadays.  It was while I was there that I received some sobering news—astounding news, but sobering all the same. 

I received a visit from the Wills and Trust Director for the conference.  He sat down and told me he had some disturbing news.  He mentioned that he had put an important project on hold—one designed to raise funds for the organic farming project we envisioned being established at TAA in the near future.  I understood that other priorities had taken over.  But he also shared something else.  I could tell he was enjoying the moment.  He told me, “Ruben, I will be depositing $100,000 dollars into your Education Fund account.”  He just let it sit there.  He went on to explain that a retired pastor with a heart for Adventist Education had passed away recently.  He had left $100,000 dollars in unrestricted funds to assist the Arizona schools!  Can you imagine my delight?   God had provided at the very moment when the kids needed it most.  God is good!

We have more than enough money to assist all students whose parents took the step of faith this year and enrolled their children.  I trust that this gift will open the floodgates and others will see the need and will equally want to be used by God to fund our children to attend our schools.   It’s comforting to see God’s hand working—even through imperfect vessels.