Individuals Paying It Forward

I have taught Sunday school at Garden City Community Church on Long Island for over 3 years, following the same group of children since they were in 4th grade. Moved by Hyde's concept of Pay It Forward, I have incorporated it into my lessons for my class.

Children are often overlooked as a source for providing assistance to people in need, which is a shame, because they are the best source. I have seen firsthand the power in words of wisdom and comfort from a child, and feel it God's will for me to help others see this power as well.

It is with this principle that I decided to involve my students in community service activities early on - to date we have raised over $15,000 for charities like the March of Dimes, The Marty Lyons Foundation, and The American Red Cross, and also initiated a park cleanup program. Most recently, 9 students started and ran a literacy program under my guidance.

One of students' mother's informed me of Elena, a 9-year old Russian orphan newly adopted by a single mother, Susan, member of our church. Starting in May and continuing into the summer, a group of my students met with Elena and her 5-year old sister Samantha weekly, serving as reading coaches.

We stopped meeting with Elena and Samantha at the beginning of the school year, but not before forming several great relationships. One of the students involved in tutoring Elena saw her looking troubled and alone on the first day of school and lent a helping hand, guiding her to her classes. Additionally, Susan called me distressed over the nanny she had taking care of her daughters while she was working, and within several days of hoping and praying, one of my student's mother's found one - a 22-year old woman from Poland with five years of Russian who was just finishing a term as a program director for children with autism, and looking for a new job. Susan was very grateful for God had helped us do, and wanted to "pay us back" by throwing a party.

I had Susan visit my class the next Sunday with her daughters - she thought it was to have them thank us formally and find out what kind of party we wanted, but instead, prior to the class we all voted on whether or not we should tell them to Pay It Forward, and the vote was unanimous that we should. They said their thank you's, and then we interrupted her by telling her how she could help pay us back.

It touched me to see my students explain the concept to her -- two boys talked about what PIF was while one of the girls began to draw the diagram. Taken aback by what the children had just told her, she said that she would Pay It Forward, and began telling us several people she had in mind.

Later on that day, I heard that Susan immediately went to the other Sunday school classes to explain Pay It Forward. Where is the concept now? The majority of my students proudly wear the buttons on their schoolbags, have their bumper stickers in plain view on their binders, and are encouraged weekly to tell people they meet about this wonderful concept. It has even inspired ideas of how they can better serve as ministers of Christ, in showing how we can all treat each other with love.

Pay It Forward Garden City Continued…

I go to school each day with a PIF button on my school bag, and a W.W.J.D. (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelet around my wrist.

Last Tuesday, I decided to drive to class in Manhattan instead of taking the train in order to get home earlier to watch Michael Jordan's return to basketball. It turns out my car was towed while I was in class. That brought me to the tow lot, where I met John.

When I walked into the tow lot office, there were several workers behind the counter, an older man on line, and a distressed guy about my age there pacing around on the verge of tears. Jokingly, I heard him ask the older man, "Sir, you wouldn't happen to have $100 to lend me, would you?" The man chuckled, and turned away.

Maybe having just taught a Sunday school lesson two days before about how each student should try to give their PIF button to a person they help that week kept the concept fresh in my mind, but after I paid to get my car back, I said to myself, "I'm going to the ATM to get this guy $100, and if he's still here when I get back, then I'll give it to him."

Sure enough, he was still in there, running into problems getting his car released, so I approached him and told him that I would give him the money. He started talking about how he would pay me back with interest, and that if he had friends in the area we would have hung out somewhere. I told him I was in a rush to catch the basketball game, so we exchanged contact information.

He asked me if I belonged to a church, and I replied by giving him the button and the bracelet, and told him I didn't want him to pay me back. The look he gave me was priceless - shock and dismay. "What are you talking about?" he said.

"I want you to try to Pay It Forward," I responded. "When you see people in need, I want you to do what you can to help them, and when they ask you what they can do to repay you, simply tell them to pay it forward, like I'm doing here."

"But I can't just take your $100. It's not the way I was raised, it goes against everything I was ever taught. I have to see you again to pay YOU back somehow," he replied. He reached for the diamond-studded chain around his neck, took it off, and placed it in my hand. "Tell you what," he said, "so you know you'll see me again, take my chain and keep it until then."

"What? I'm not holding your chain. I know I'll see you again."

"No, you have to. At least take my ring and hold it, I need you to do this so I feel settled about it."

I agreed, and finished by telling him about my Sunday school class. He said that he had been away from the church for several years, and was meaning to go back. So, he said he would come that Sunday, and he did.

That Sunday, I introduced him to my students, and then showed him up to the service. On the way up to the sanctuary, he held out his hand, clutching $100.

"I told you, I don't want you to pay me back," I warned.

"I know, I'm gonna do that Pay It Forward thing, but you MUST take this money. I will not feel right if you don't," he replied.

After arguing briefly, we resolved that either way it was going to be given to someone besides the two of us, so I took the money downstairs back to my students.

I told them the story about how I met John that day, and put the money on the table they were all sitting around. It turns out that the same day we had started promoting our Winter fundraiser, a roller skating party/ fundraiser for the Marty Lyons Foundation, and the students quickly suggested making that our first proceeds, and it was.

That day also happened to be the last day we had to come up with $100 deposit to reserve the roller skating rink, and that is where the money went.

* I found out after the fact that John had been kicked out of his house several years back and was currently working at a hotel to pay his bills and save money to pursue a music career. It is his choice to do so, but he has no place to call home EXCEPT his car.