Shannon Forest Christian School (SFCS) will host a “Learning Through Service” Expo in the Upper School Gymnasium on Wednesday, August 31, from 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.  Students in 7th – 12th Grades, their parents AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY are invited to explore and engage with Greenville area non-profit organizations to discover how they can get involved and serve our community.

The expo is a kick off for the SFCS 2011/2012 school year L.I.F.E. Program - Lives Impacted For Eternity.  L.I.F.E is a Christian service program that begins in the 1st Grade and remains a part of all students’ lives until the 12th Grade.  7th – 12th Grade students at Shannon are required to fulfill two to twelve hours of service (depending on the grade level) outside of school service days.  The expo provides a perfect opportunity to speak with representatives from area organizations in need of volunteers.

Over 20 organizations are planning to attend including Hands on Greenville, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Safe Harbor, Piedmont Women’s Center, Meals on Wheels of Greenville and many more.

Parents, alumni and friends of Shannon Forest who are connected with a non-profit organization and would like to receive more information on how to participate may contact:

D’Anne Weaver, SFCS Learning Service Coordinator at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Kevin Arnold once said, "A memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose." The memory of Costa Rica will forever be something I never want to lose, something that I will always love and it will always be a part of who I am now. As I was boarding the plane to go to Costa Rica I had a profound sense of fear, the fear that hits the pit of your stomach with a thud and makes you reconsider your decisions. The fear was the fear of the unknown; I was stepping out of my comfort zone, entering a world filled with poverty an alternate language and different people. I had already made conclusions about this mission trip before I had even landed, I was sure I wouldn't be clean, get enough to eat or communicate with anyone. It wasn't until I stepped onto the bridge entering the slum of la Cuenca that I realized my life was going to change forever.

This place is dusty, dirty and cramped. Filled with houses built of scrap metal and barbed wire, children hide behind the doors peeking through at the "gringos," entering the only place they have called home. As we settled in with our various tasks, the kids began to emerge little by little, inching closer to members of the mission team. I was stunned at the number of young children that filled up the main court yard outside of the church. Most of them in faded clothes and no shoes- they sought the slightest bit of attention.

Many of the team members stopped their work to play with the kids, but it didn't seem to bother our leaders much, they were playing, too. We gave piggyback rides, hugs and kisses graciously, each child's thankfulness showed vagrantly in their smiles.

Smiling and laughing seemed to be something new for these children, something they never expected to have, a sort of surprise they wished to linger. I came to find that the poverty in la Cuenca not only affected their housing, but the childhood of every boy and girl. Most of these kids learn to mature quickly, raising their brothers and sisters while the mother brings in the income. I remember seeing 8-year old little girls grasping the hands of her 3 and 4-year old brothers- this reflection a vague reminder of the abuse these children face.

They have been robbed of the precious years that add to their character- they are victims of drug, sexual, emotional and physical trauma that will scar them for the rest of their lives. But, there is a vagrant light that shines within every one of them. Their faith gives them the will to keep fighting- they raise their hands and shout praises to God even though they have nothing because He is their only hope of redemption and salvation. They know not that Christ loves, but that Christ loves them and his love is reflected through their love for complete strangers.
This love can be personified by my personal experience with a little boy named Adrian. I found him walking alone in the streets of la Cuenca wearing nothing but his holed underwear. Like most 3-year old boys, he was covered in dirt, with a runny nose and no shoes. He had a single stick in his hand, beating it against the ground repeatedly like a drum. When I walked up to him, he offered me the stick, and when I declined, he offered himself for me to hold. He stuck his arms up wide- opening and closing his hands as if he were begging for love. The moment I took him in my arms, he and I both knew he was safe. The remainder of my days in la Cuenca were spent with him, running and playing and often times ending with him draped over my shoulder exhausted from the day's events. I knew he had never seen so much love in his entire life, and I was willing to give him as much as I could.

Leaving la Cuenca everyday was a struggle, we both cried at times, and other times he watched me cry with sympathetic eyes and a kiss on my cheek. We loved each other whole heartedly and that became evident to the missionaries in la Cuenca. One of them said, "I have never seen Adrian so happy before. Usually, he does not smile and he plays alone. Now, that he has had you, he is smiling and laughing. It is like you are his mother and he is your son. It is beautiful." I knew at that moment God had placed a child of la Cuenca in my heart for a reason and I was to do something about it.

I prayed a lot and cried a lot, making my final day in la Cuenca one of the hardest times of my life. I took Adrian back to his mother reluctantly- she is pregnant with twins and had two other young sons other than Adrian. When I finally had enough courage to leave the home, the tears came immediately and my heart felt heavy with sadness. I did not want to leave him there, not knowing that he could ever have a future, or that he would be fed and be warm. As I was sitting down waiting on the rest of the team to file out of la Cuenca, I saw Adrian running up to me with his arms spread wide, that was the last hug I gave him.

The story of my love for this little boy is not yet over, my parents and I are looking into some options so that maybe one day Adrian could have a future in our family. The children of this nation are beautiful people, in need of prayer and as much aid as possible. I did not help the children of la Cuenca, they helped me. They taught me to never stop praying, to sing as loud as I can and to be still when I need anointing. They taught me to love strangers and most of all to never give up. These children will continue to bless me, it is my hope that I can travel back to la Cuenca and work with CFCI for the month of July. There I will continue to let these children teach me their faith, love and culture. Thank You.

-Callie Floyd, SFCS Class of 2011