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Pam Seymour: Volunteer Heeds Call to Tutor
Time and Talent
Reprinted from the Fall 2007 issue of Le Bonheur Magazine
by permission of Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center
By Kini Kedigh Plumlee
Editor, Le Bonheur Magazine
Volunteering as a tutor for the dialysis unit at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center was a true calling for Pam Seymour. Looking into other worthy opportunities where she could donate her time, Pam says that becoming a volunteer for Le Bonheur "was a spiritual desire."
"I had no idea what to do for the hospital, and knew nothing about dialysis," she says, reflecting on that winter day in February when she first contacted Le Bonheur to inquire about lending a hand with the patients. The Collierville wife and mother of two healthy daughters had never even been inside Le Bonheur until she met with Brenda Garner, manager for the hospital's volunteer services, who matched her as a volunteer for the unit.
"It is very humbling to be able to volunteer for these patients," says Pam. "Volunteering at Le Bonheur is not about me. When I put on this blue volunteer coat, it's whatever God wants to do through me."
Pam is one of several volunteers, including Seretha Jones and Rhodes College students Carl Schow and Alex Woods, who tutor dialysis patients. During the school year, they are there three afternoons each week to assist patients with their studies and to help them keep their grades up in history, geography, reading and math. They also entertain patients while they receive treatment. Knowing how to play the patients' favorite games -- Backgammon, Scrabble, Uno and Trouble - is a must.
"It's a blessing to see the kids and the spark they get from wanting to improve their reading skills or learning a new game," Pam said. "Games like Scrabble help them expand their vocabulary. It pushes them to strive harder."
Dialysis patients miss a great deal of regular classroom instruction in order to receive treatment, and the tutors are a terrific help to patients with their education.
"We don't always have the time to help them with reading and their school work," says Lynn Thomas, patient care coordinator and dialysis team leader. "When we can, we help, but clinical duties must come first. It's a blessing to be able to depend upon our volunteers to fill this very important need."
Pam noted that sometimes just being a friend is as important as tutoring with homework. "Some days the kids don't feel like doing much, and just holding their hand, watching a movie with them and showing you care means a lot. As much as anything, it's nice to just become their friend."
While setting up the Scrabble board to begin a spelling lesson, Pam wished aloud, "How great it would be in the summer for teachers to assist these kids to bring them up to where they need to be in their studies."
"Our volunteers provide a valuable community service," said Garner. "Having them serve in the dialysis unit is an expression of love, care and concern for children throughout our community."
For information regarding volunteer opportunities at Le Bonheur, call (901) 287- 6190.
Below is Pam's testimony about her coming to Central and a bio-devotional from her study of Nehemiah:
A sermon Pastor Frey spoke about getting out of the boat and stepping on the water moved me to serve. I've been teaching for three years in children's church and now have been serving at LeBonheur two days a week in the dialysis unit. There is a tremendous need for volunteers to help. I am at times the only one at LeBonheur in the dialysis unit. There are four or more teenagers that I help tutor and play games with while they are receiving treatment. I would love to see our church encouraged to step out in faith also to help.
The Holy Spirit led me to Central church by a dream (literally) and through praying with a friend. A vision was given and confirmed the day I decided to join Central. The bulletin had a giant plug being plugged into a map. This was forseen in prayer while I was asking God where to join. I have grown so deeply since serving. I have never found this amount of joy and passion until stepping out onto the scary waters and teaching.
I began teaching first and second grade at 11:00. The next year I taught second grade first hour. Then God led me to also teach in 252. For one season I did both. The amount of children each week never ceased to amaze me. The lack of commitment for teachers is also one that amazes and saddens me. There are never enough. All I know is there is a great harvest and workers are few, but I pray along with our church that God would send out the laborers. I am just humbled and fulfilled that I was so fortunate to be called.
I am thankful for Brigid Waring and Bubba Beloate who have been so wonderful to support me and let me use my creative gifts to teach. It is my passion for these kids to not only know more stories of the Bible than I ever did, but to know God as a warrior God. I strive to motivate them to read their Bibles and pray now. They are awesome each week. They never hesitate to get on their knees as we join together to pray and give praise. I pray they are the valiant soldiers not just of the future, but now.
To know how I was the most shy of all persons, scared to death to socialize, and then to see where God has broken me and transformed me to be a leader is a miracle in itself. Though I, as we all do, struggle with "self", I know I am making a positive difference. It is my joy and my privilege to be a servant. I pray that others will step out on the water, for that's where the living is.
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When trying to do things for God, cries from all sides try to pull us away. Temptations and desires become a snare. Trying to stay focused takes a strong neck. The overwhelming task to build in itself can seem too much. But the task to rebuild with ruins is an even greater challenge. Broken pieces of our lives seem too weak, even not worth retrieving, but God has a greater plan. Gates burned with fire were replaced from new timber provided through the hand of God. Never give up to believe that the walls of your life can be restored.
They must be! God needs you! Though broken and ruined by the enemies of your life, God will provide help when the time comes to rebuild. It takes the breaking down to reconstruct. Pride, arrogance, choices of iniquity are often the reasons for the destruction in the first place. But God never gives up. His mercies are new everyday. When the time comes that He puts it in your heart to rebuild, you will be provided with all you need. A team with one heart and one mind must work tegether to rebuild the walls of your life. Its not only for yourself, but for all who are called by His name.
The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but God equips us with the armor night and day if we have a mind to do it. When your heart is extended beyond the boundaries of your own self and you seek to build for the Kingdom, an army is gathered. We are soldiers of the cross with bodies of flesh, but weapons of the Spirit.
A deceitful plan to destroy you can be avoided if you are praying. A plot to stop you from building the Kingdom of God never ceases. But wisdom is given if you are listening.
Who is standing in the gap? Do you remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses? We are each positioned to work. We each have our calling. Have the walls of your life been broken down enough that you cannot repair them alone? Perhaps God has called you for such a time as this to unite with your warrior brethren, for the fight is not yours alone. It is for God.
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