One of the biggest challenges for St. Maries Christian School in Idaho has been its necessary move into a shop at the Shadowy River Mall. Space for desks and storage is limited, and the parking lot doesn’t make the best playground.
However, students have rediscovered their bikes. Once a week, they bike locally for their physical education class. Several biking field trips have taken them to a stretch of the beautiful 72-mile Rails to Trails biking path near Coeur d’ Alene.
There is another bright side. “We get plenty of exposure here,” says Mark Law, teacher. Shoppers pass the windows throughout the day, occasionally peering in.
One day a man opened the mall door in the middle of class.
“Hey, here’s something for the hard-working teachers,” he said. When the teacher went to the door of the classroom to greet the man, he pushed a bill into the teacher's hand and said, “Go get some ice cream with your students.”
Besides receiving such blessings from the generous community, the school plans to be a blessing in its community. Students started by offering to clean the bathrooms in the mall once a week. The manager was delighted.
Another opportunity came when school board member Sue Clark invited the students to pick her garden produce. In just a few minutes, they had harvested 68 pounds of the prolific yellow zucchini and various winter squash. They delivered the vegetables to the Community Action Partnership food bank.
Being a blessing can happen anywhere.
(From left) Saul Moushey, Caleb Nelson, Myles Nelson, Cindy Mottern and Mark Law deliver veggies to the Community Action Partnerships in St. Maries.
The storefront window of St. Maries Christian School gives the school plenty of exposure to its community.
Mall shoppers sometimes glance into the St. Maries classroom from the mall hallway.
Saul Moushey adds squash to Myles Nelson's wheelbarrow.
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(From left) Sue Clark, Caleb Nelson, Myles Nelson, Saul Moushey and Mark Law pick and provide 68 pounds of produce to an area food bank.
