When something you are passionate about comes to you naturally, that’s how you know God’s hand is in it.
I have been involved in scouting in some way my entire life. My mom was a troop leader and I was a girl scout, so getting my children involved was a natural decision. I wanted Christian mentoring for my son outside of our regular church activities, and scouting provided it. As a parent, the first years of scouting were spent at my son’s troop meetings. Then, as he moved up, I began serving as my daughter’s troop leader. But, I also served in different areas, such as taking over the popcorn fundraising for my son’s troop. Since I have a sales background, this volunteer time allowed me to use my gifts. And, as a Christian, I understand the importance of having a servant’s heart.
However, my educational background is in speech pathology where I also learned sign language for pursuing a career in interpreting one day. One thing led to another, and I ended up being asked to lead a troop separately from my own children.
I am now the troop leader and interpreter for the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind. My troop has 22 boys, ranging from 6-15 years of age, all with visual impairments, hearing loss, or both. When I was given this opportunity, I knew it was a chance to use my God-given gifts to serve. In this role, I can speak openly about my faith in a way that is not generally accepted in the public school setting, and I can help these young men see firsthand the importance of serving others. Recently, the school residential director told me the number of demerits the boys in my troop have received has significantly decreased since they have brought scouting into their school environment. I can see the difference in the way they act and how they care for one another.
Being able to use the talents God has blessed me with in a way to serve this unique demographic feels natural, and knowing God is using me to make a difference feels even better.
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