This morning I sat in Mrs. Sarah Kok’s kindergarten classroom and I watched a little 5 year old boy on his first day of school at Lynden Christian. He is one of many new students that we have at LC this year. He was anxious, he was happy, he brought joy and wonder to his classroom. He listened to his teacher and sometimes he wanted to participate so badly in the conversation that a loud noise would come out … he loves being at school with his new friends. I’ve gotten to know Bronson over the past couple weeks. Like us, he is a child of God and part of His Kingdom. He has a wonderful mom and dad and little brother Luke. He goes to church and Sunday school. He loves to play at the lake with his family and every fiber of his being is filled with adventure as he discovers the world through the eyes of a 5 year old child.
As I watched Bronson, tears filled my eyes. I was witnessing a deep hope from Bronson’s parents becoming reality at Lynden Christian School. They want their son to be able to attend a Christian school, be part of a typical classroom with other 5 year olds and learn about a God who created him and dearly loves him. Isn’t that every parent’s hope for their child?
If you happen to walk through the halls of the elementary school, you might see Bronson. You might hear Bronson. You might notice that he is not the same as most of our students. Bronson has autism, but it does not define him. It is how God uniquely created him. As Mrs. Kok so wonderfully told the children in her classroom, “We all learn things at different times and Bronson just hasn’t learned all his words yet.” He desperately wants to communicate his joy, his fear, his love of learning … but right now he doesn’t have his words yet. So he makes loud noises and his behavior is spontaneous and disruptive sometimes …. Because he just wants so badly to communicate all that his little body and heart are feeling.
On September 11, our chapel time K-4 will be focused on the theme of kindness. Jake and Lindsay Breakey are coming to chapel to share with all the children and teachers who Bronson is. As children, and adults, what we don’t understand is sometimes scary. It is our deep hope and desire that by sharing Bronson’s story with our students and community that it will take the “scary” away and replace it with kindness, empathy, compassion, grace and understanding. That is exactly what Christian education should look like. If you would like to attend chapel that day and hear Bronson’s story and meet his family I encourage you to attend.
Jesus said … “Let the little children come to me … for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven”. Isn’t it awesome that our school is saying “yes” to families of special needs children who want to come meet Jesus!
