Has anyone seen the movie, “Freedom Writers?” It was inspired by a true story about a woman in her first year of teaching English at a Long Beach, California high school. She’s excited about the eclectic make-up of the student body which includes mostly Latin Americans and Americans of African and Asian descent. What she is not prepared for is her startling discovery that there is a time bomb ticking within the heart and soul of each student and that the faculty’s focus is solely on the “gifted” students and keeping order. The atmosphere in Mrs.G’s classroom slowly changes from anger to interest as lesson plans are abandoned and she begins to listen to the students and find ways to help them get in touch with their feelings, identify common struggles, and discover their own worth and giftedness. The students learn to help each other face their fears and support each other in their growth as individuals. The movie ends with an exuberant celebration of the school board’s decision to let them remain together as a class through all four years of high school.

If we were to script a film called “The Loaves and Fishes Story,” it would read a lot like an after-school version of “Freedom Writers.” Twenty-five years ago, when three white and nine black first and second grade children gathered at Westminster Presbyterian Church with two white leaders and an all-white contingent of volunteers for the inaugural LAF summer enrichment program, a new family was born – one which has stood the test of time and regenerated itself over and over again as individuals moved in and out, and as we all learned and grew and were changed by each other. How did this happen? It did not happen because there was a carefully crafted strategic plan in place based on results of studies from the past; that’s for sure. It happened simply because we listened to the children and to their parents. From them we learned to respect each other, listen to each other, teach each other, care about each other, believe in each other, and need each other. From them we learned that no one is less or more important than another, that no one should be permitted to give up on him/herself or anyone else, and that each and every individual has a special place in the world. Loaves and Fishes became and remains a strong family after 25 years because of what “LAF” really means.

Love Always Forever, Betty Anne and Nancy