To be able to serve!!!

I am just totally amazed at the team I've been asked to serve on for the Emmaus walk! I know I said I would devote my blog to some of the people who have blest me in the past, and I will continue that series throughout the next little while. But, this is too good for me to not blog about now!!!

When I went to my first training meeting two weeks ago, I found myself wondering if I would be able to handle the role of music co-director. Not because I felt I could not do the job. I felt maybe I would not be able to actually participate fully, especially when it came to the picking out of the songs, because I would not have the hand-outs in front of me in a format I could read. Well, I really didn't say anything. I did however feel that at least letting people know that when they don't describe slides for those who might be visually challenged, they really weren't considering everyone who would be on the walk. I wasn't thinking of myself though. I was only thinking of those who actually have vision problems.

It turns out that one of the women on the walk is an interpreter for the deaf and she shares an office with the teacher consultant for the blind and visually impaired children in her county. She thought that she might be able to do something about making sure I had stuff in an alternative format. However, she didn't say a word to me about it, until I came in today for our second meeting.

When I walked in, I just barely got my coat off, when Cindy came racing up to me and told me that she had something for me in the room we would be using as our conference room for the day. She then guided me over to a chair and then put something in front of me. It was a Braille copy of the music director's schedule for the walk! All the times for the walks were listed, all the times the music director was supposed to do something! And, I could read it!!!

Never in all my churchgoing years, have I ever had anyone think enough of me to make sure I had that stuff available. When I was at Okemos Community Church, they never had the song books available for me to read for youth group, which meant I was sort of pinch hitting it at times. However, they had started getting the hymns in Braille for me when I was involved in the church choir my tenth grade year. But, that stopped after December of that year.

When I attended St. John's Student Parish in East Lansing while I was in college, we had Braile songbooks made. However, they were a bit clumsy for blind people to use, as they were three volumes. Plus, I played guitar anyway while I was there. So, for me, it really wasn't an issue. I would often read through the songbook though so I could learn the words to some of my favorite Catholic folk hymns. To me, some of those are the greatest songs I've ever sung and still continue to sing.

The Emmaus Walks are sponsored by the Upper Room, and they have made sure that Braille copies of the book they use are made available. Again though, the book is three volumes, and if you don't know what book to use, you're stuck.

Cindy made an announcement today to the team to everyone giving a talk, that they get materials to her by the next meeting in a Word document, so that I can have the talks to look at right when everyone else was going to be reading it off the slides! SHe then will take them to her friend to see if they can be transcribed into Braille!!! You mean, I won't have to poke with my slate and stylus anymore to write up stuff? (Sorry for those of you who read this and have the wonders of modern technology in the form of portable note takers. The slate and stylus is still my favorite method of writing when it comes to anything I want to read.) I won't have to worry about missing anything! I'll be able to participate fully! I'll be able to serve more freely than I did when I was a table leader! It may not sound like much to some of you. But, to me, that's my whole reason for being to serve! Now, I'll be able to more fully! Thanks Cindy and all the rest of the team!