Aslan Newsletter of August 15, 2001

Dear Friends,

Summer is winding down and on TV and in the news we are all hearing about mentoring, volunteering and getting involved in your community. Volunteering is a very "hot topic." Aslan has always depended on volunteers to keep our programs running and this year is no exception. We need you! The Aslan children need you! Please believe me when I tell you how important your gifts and prayers are to the ongoing work of Aslan.

Congress defines an "at risk student" as one who – because of poverty, race, limited English proficiency, geographical location or economic disadvantage – faces reduced expectations and a greater risk of low educational achievements. This definition fits the typical Aslan child. Our children start out life with many strikes against them, and none are their fault. Through your giving and your time, you have the ability to change this. You can make an incredible difference in the life of a child. You can help lay the groundwork that can erase these obstacles. With your help, Aslan has been serving children for over 25 years. We know what works – people helping people!

You can’t help but feel the passion our tutors and mentors have for their students in the following comments.

"I learned how much of an impact a single person can have on their community. This experience has brought a new, deeper sense of meaning and faith to my life."

"Every Tuesday, I looked forward to meeting with my student. I knew he felt the same way because every time I would look into his classroom to see if he was there, he would look back at me with an enormous smile on his face."

"My experience with Aslan taught me a lot about life and how unfortunate some people are. I am grateful this program entered my life and hope that more people in the future will get as much fulfillment out of it as I did."

 

"I never thought it would be possible to learn so much from a seven-year-old kid. It would be safe to say that my student’s success is external, mine is purely internal. To see him go from not being able to read a simple sentence to reading twenty pages truly makes me proud. And knowing that I helped him do this in some way makes me feel good about myself."

"I never knew such poverty existed in an area which is surrounded by so many affluent communities. This past year opened my eyes to the true poverty some of these kids face and to racial inequality. If I had to do this over I would not change a thing. The entire experience has been amazing."

"I have learned many valuable life lessons about commitment, tolerance, patience, cooperation and friendship. I never thought I could learn so much from someone so young. But more importantly, we formed a friendship which will hopefully last for a long time."

"When I would get an inkling of a clue that my student was enjoying our time together, it would make all my worries disappear."

Our children need attention and time and guidance. They need your life experiences. The single most effective thing you can do is to give time to a child. You – the volunteer – receive the greatest bonus: the pure joy of watching a child grow in ways that will prepare him for a successful future. If you live in Monmouth County, New Jersey, give us a call!

When you wonder why God has allowed such poverty and pain to exist in the lives of such innocent children and why He won’t just make it all go away, remember that He has a solution for this problem. And the solution is YOU! Be a part of the cure . . . volunteer . . . spend some time with a young child . . . continue to give financially. You will make such a difference in a child’s life – and also in your own!

Most Sincerely,

Claudia

Claudia Ackerman

Director of Mentor/Tutorial Services

P.S. We realize many of you who receive this letter live much too far away to be involved in volunteering your time for Aslan. However, by volunteering your resources, you are a major key to the success of this work. God bless you for caring so much!