While William Shakespeare viewed “all the world's a stage,” Mark Twain saw all of life a lesson.

Twain knew that, as important as they are, institutions are not the be-all and end-all of education. Education thrives in our every waking step and breeds in our every breath. Each person’s life is the sum of their days and nights, their dreams and aspirations; a tale begun before birth and often spun well after death. The days in between make up our everyday lives. For some people that equation is harder than others.

Childhood is widely acknowledged as the formative years of our lives. As another summer arrives, imagine your childhood. What was it like? Did you go to camp? Sell lemonade? Play Little League baseball? Did you have a mom and dad?

Now imagine a different childhood, one where you never knew your father, or your mother or the face of a single loving family member. Imagine instead, sleeping on hard floors or in cars or in an alley way. Imagine those warm hugs replaced by cold, angry fists and fiery tempers.

As partners in our ministry, you have seen first-hand a love so great you desired to pass it on to others. Someone blessed you with the education of love, and in your giving you become part of the education of life here at the Nashville Rescue Mission.

With the arrival of summer, kids all over Middle Tennessee are full of excitement in anticipation of vacation events, swimming, camp and most of all…NO SCHOOL! Unfortunately, not all children will experience these emotions this summer. Sadly, as adults, they will never have memories of the summers you did.

Following Mark Twain’s viewpoint of “life is a lesson,” consequences deliver men and women to the Mission everyday seeking help and relief from a lifetime of bad decisions, poverty and abuse. The often over-looked part of that equation is the innocent son or daughter who is confused and scared and far from comprehending what a summer of fun is like.

While mothers or fathers are obtaining help from the Mission’s life-recovery program, staff and volunteers apply all the efforts they can muster, attempting to replace years of abuse with memories that might counteract innocence lost.

Because you chose to show love to these men, women and children, they can now break the cycle of intergenerational poverty, homelessness and reckless living. This miracle happens at the Mission each and every day. Lives are changed. Families are restored. Identity in Christ is found. The unseen result is the children in the generations to come who will look forward to and experience a summer vacation, a trip to the pool and no school for the summer!

It is your continual compassion and generosity that enables the Mission to teach men, women and children how to have compassion for others. Your gift not only supplies a meal, not only education; it provides a new life for each graduate and a brighter future for all of our children. Maybe for some, their only connection with the Mission will be when they show up to volunteer.