Legacy Fund of Seward County leaves positive impact on St. John by Anita Foor
Joshua, Chapter 3, describes the Israelites preparing to cross the Jordan River with the ark of the covenant. God instructed Joshua to tell the priests carrying it to stand in the river which was flooded during harvest. He explained that when the priests stepped in the water, it would stop flowing so the Israelites could cross. God asked His people for trust and promised to deliver them; and His people crossed a seemingly impossible body of water. When the water parted, it left the ground clear so the people could cross and revealed what one might expect – bare ground scattered with stones. Joshua instructed the 12 priests to gather one stone each, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, and to pile them in a “monument” on the shore.
Perhaps Joshua understood the importance of a legacy. There were no cell phones, social media sites, postal systems, emails, text messages, or news outlets to capture and share the event. There was a river. There were people. There were stones. There was a miracle of God. Joshua said, “… In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’” Perhaps Joshua understood that if future generations came to know and understand this miracle, they might also know God’s might and love for His people.
Much like the Israelites coming to the flooded Jordan and being met with a humanly impossible task, our school and Child Development Center came upon what often felt like an impossible task last spring – meeting the needs of students and their families as the COVID-19 pandemic raged. Much like the Israelites were served by a loving Father, St. John School and CDC were served by loving, selfless givers through the Legacy Fund for Seward County.
The Legacy Fund for Seward County is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation, and its goal is to create a permanent unrestricted endowment to build abundant resources, enabling all Seward County residents to live, work, learn, and succeed. It’s designed to build and leave a perpetual legacy – engaging those who are able to make a difference today for the good of tomorrow.
As our school and Child Development Center approached the flood waters of the pandemic, the Legacy Fund blessed us with finances to provide the following:
60 iPads for remote learning
new teacher computers to meet virtual learning needs
subscriptions to learning- management systems to facilitate teaching and learning
mobile hotspots to improve access to the Internet and class materials
thermometers and Personal Protective Equipment for the CDC to safely serve families
the building of a dividing wall between a shared bathroom at the CDC
These materials purchased with the grant money are like the stones Joshua asked the Israelite priests to collect from the Jordan. They are proof of the needs that existed and the generosity of donors to the grant fund. The Legacy Grant influences a generation of youth and young families blessed by the miraculously timed access to these funds. May all impacted seek ways to invest in and serve neighbors.
To view a video celebrating the impact of the Legacy Funds received this spring, click on or enter this link: https://vimeo.com/481813022
Thank you to all who support the Legacy Fund. Its provision allows us to continue offering high-quality Christ-centered education to continue building the best legacy of all – bringing children up knowing the Father – as we proclaim and practice the love of Christ.
