We live in an age in which “service” is considered to be a foregone conclusion for preparing children to be productive members of society. The International Baccalaureate (IB) focuses on service learning “where classroom instruction is supported by activities to help the community.” Even within the ex-pat community there are ample ways to support charitable…

During this winter break, I spent some time reading.  One of the books I read was a biography of Helen Keller.  As many of you know, she lost her sight and hearing when she was only 19 months old. Through great effort and tremendous help from people surrounding her, including her parents and a dedicated…

Note: This blog post was written and submitted to me in November. My apologies for not having it published in a timely fashion. Rather than rewrite or change it, I ask for grace and that you read this post in the spirit it was written. Thankfulness is not just for November, but for all year.…