School started again after the summer holidays. This morning, the teacher, Ms. Schmidt, introduced a new classmate and his companion to the children in the third grade: “Children, this is Simon and Inge. As you can see, Simon uses a wheelchair to get around. He is very much looking forward to learning and playing with you.
You should know something important about Simon: He has a disease called ‘brittle bone disease.’ This means that his bones can break very easily, much more easily than most people’s. You don’t need to worry; we are all here to make sure he is comfortable and safe. Please just be careful when playing or running near Simon. Try to be gentle and avoid collisions. If you have any questions about his illness, please feel free to ask me, Inge, or Simon himself. Remember that Simon loves to play as much as you do. We may have to be a little creative at times to keep everyone safe, but that should not stop us from having fun together. I’m sure you will all take very good care of Simon and welcome him warmly into our class. Together we can create a friendly and supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable.”
It was very quiet in the classroom at first, but soon, lessons returned to normal. During recess, the children came up to Simon and introduced themselves. They quickly noticed that he liked to laugh and be cheerful. After Nicholas had spoken to Simon briefly, he remembered that Jesus was always kind to the sick and that he helped them. So, Nicholas thought: “If I can do something for Simon, I’d like to help too.”
During the next lesson, Nicholas noticed that Simon’s pencil case had fallen, and his pencils were scattered around. He got up and helped Inge collect the pencils. During the next recess, Simon thanked Nicholas for his help and said: “Math is easy for me. If you need help with it or want to study together, we can meet at my house.” Nicholas was happy because math was not his strong point. Was God giving him the opportunity for a good friendship here?
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