All Nations Community School: Called To Do It

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- All Nations Community School has pledged to serve its community. Earlier this school year, they quite literally put that pledge into action. The entire school visited Trinity Episcopal Church, more specifically the kitchen headed by Chef Molly Carr and assisted by Miss Dulce, to become on-line cooks.



Chef Molly aka “Missioner Molly” works to prepare meals distributed by the Church’s Abundant Harvest Food Truck, which serves Montgomery County. The children of All Nations were there as volunteers, ready to help.



Early in the morning, the students gathered around Christina Callaway, principal of All Nations Community School. In a brilliantly executed deductive lesson, Callaway led the children to first define “community” and then identify their “community.” Ivan offered “a group of people who come together,” as an acceptable definition. “So who is your community?” she asked. They suggested in this exact order: “Texas, Houston, The Woodlands, All Nations Community School, our homes.”



Then Callaway asked, “Why are we doing this?” “To help other people.” “To show kindness.” “To give food to those who need food.” “To help old people.” “Because we’re called to do it.”



Principal Callaway echoed, “Exactly. We are called to do it.” She read “Be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.” (Colossians 3:12)

She told the students, “Love each other. Love is the most important, so we love each other by serving others.” The kids predicted that this experience would allow them to apply what they learn in school to real life. This led into a discussion of how subjects like math, social studies, and science will be used.



Enter Chef Molly. Larger than life, she gave the kids a “super duper thanks” for volunteering to help. Told them they’ll be her line cooks. She wasted no time distributing a package of peppers, some herbs, eggs, and several tomatillos to different students. “Why wouldn’t a grocery store sell these?” She challenged. These kids are smart. They conjectured that the herbs—some darkened— might be considered poisonous. The egg carton only contained 11 eggs and the box was soggy. The peppers had an expiration date that had passed, and the tomatillos had this papery cover that was all brownish.



Chef Molly praised the kids for their observation skills and logic, but she explained that some of that food that would be thrown away is good, for example, the 11 eggs. She further explained that she takes the discarded food that comes into her kitchen, sorts through it all, and creates meals from the “good stuff” for underserved people.



To drive her point home, she described how 18 feet of water—“that’s about up to that vent on this wall,” she turned and pointed—rushed through a street off I45, “about 4.3 miles from here. 120 kids live on that street. We took them food.”



These student volunteers were even more ready to help.



Chef Molly walked them through the “Kitchen Rules”:

#1. No goofing around kitchen knives.

#2. No playing around the oven—it’s gas—it has a fire.

So NO BLOOD. NO BURNS. Just make a good meal.

#3. Keep the kitchen clean.

#4. Wash your hands.

#5. Put on gloves.

“Good thing I brought my apron,” chirped Isaac.

#6. No tasting with hands.



The kids filed out to wash their hands; they returned holding their hands up like surgeons and dutifully donned their gloves.

The littlest kids peeled the tomatillos. The next group wrapped the garlic. A third group separated the herbs. The oldest kids quartered the tomatillos and onions. Everyone was busy.



In addition to working for the good of others, these kids were also going to make their own lunch—spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce and strawberries and watermelon for dessert.



What spirit! What a display of kindness and love!



Then when they were invited to share any questions, as is the way with children, Elias asked, “What’s a rumble?” Everyone—principal, teachers, parents stopped. No one could remember mentioning a rumble. “When did you hear that? Could you give me a sentence with the word?” nudged Principal Callaway.



“It was from the Bible.”

“Oh!” She got it. “You mean ‘humble.’

And with that we all ate a slice of humble pie!