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"Hi, my name is Devin, and I would like to ask you a question. My mom and I saw some homeless people walking in the cold this winter, and knew we needed to do something for them...we decided to make fleece blankets to help them stay warm...but you see, we don't any money ourselves, and could not afford to do this, so I wrote to the Governor of Wisconsin for help, and never heard back...this was three months ago. I would like to know if you would know of any way to help me and my mom in this."
This was the beginning of an amazing conversation between myself and a nine-year old student who had just heard (for the first time!) Sheltered Reality perform at his elementary school. So, I asked him why he wanted to do this, and he told me it was because no one should be that cold. I asked him why he was brave enough to come talk to me, and he told me it was because I had told him to "take a chance".
So, we went to the office together to ask the staff if an announcement was made to collect fleece, could it be mailed to the school so that Devin could get it and take it home.
That same evening there was going to be a community show in the same town, so I planned to tell this story, not knowing whether Devin would be in attendance or not. But, instead of giving up, Devin begged his father to come, and there they were!
So, I told his story in front of the audience with him by my side that night, and we asked for donations of fleece to make blankets. Then I asked Devin what he was going to do to succeed if boxes and boxes and boxes of supplies arrived...
His immediate response was:
"I will Take a Chance, Believe in God, Never Give Up, and be Willing to do Whatever It Takes"...that was very touching to hear, but was not my real question...so instead I rephrased the question...I reminded him of the message he had heard earlier that day at his school...and he thought for a little bit, and then said..."Oh, I could ask my friends to help make blankets"...and I said yes...
Furthermore, I had noticed earlier that evening that the church at which we were to perform had a big poster advertising their knitting group for seniors, and so I then told Devin that the pastor of the church could ask them for help...at which point the pastor turned this into Devin asking for their help...and NOW...we have the following:
Devin is going to church this Sunday to ask the congregation for
help...the church is going to lend him a hand in changing the world!
So, if a 9 year old boy can see through the drums, the loudness, the
crazy teacher antics, the laughs, and the other parts that make up our SR shows...and can see with HIS HEART the true meaning...that to Succeed in changing the world often takes just one idea, and some caring people, and some working together...if a 9 year old can see this, well then we should ALL be able to see this...to learn from his story, and to work even harder as we continue to take God's love for all and share it with the world!
-as told by Steven Schlosser, Executive Director
Nicholas is an 8-year-old autistic boy who lives in Wichita, KS. He has a very powerful story after having seen Sheltered Reality. He saw us in June, and upon hearing the message that he could change the world if he was willing to ”Take a chance, never give up, and be willing to do whatever it takes”, he returned to another Sheltered Reality show 4 days later. He came up to the front of the show, told the audience what he had learned, and then gave away his only possession, a stuffed animal. You see, Nicholas was homeless at the time, but still realized he had that power to make someone else feel a little bit better.
The entire audience was moved to tears over this, and were moved to help Nicholas and his family, finding them a house, and paying for 6 months of rent to help get them back on their feet. Truly, doing good, no matter how big or small, always leads to much more than you expect. It certainly did for Nicholas.
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