Dear Parents,

Character development is one of the things that we feel is so central to the experience we are providing our students at Trinity, and is an integral part of the vision of our school. One of themes that ties several character traits together is kindness. All throughout this week at Trinity, we have been focusing on what it means to show kindness to our classmates, teachers, and neighbours in our community. This is part of what Jesus was teaching in Matthew 22:37-39, when he commands us to love God first and our love our neighbour second, as an outflow of our love for Him.

This morning, Mrs. Flokstra made the connection between this verse, kindness, and the importance of communicating not just with our words, but with our actions and deeds. Our chapel also coincided with World Hearing Day today and we discussed why this is meaningful to us, as we show kindness to others who may not be able to communicate in the same ways as us. One verse that encapsulates this is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, which reminds us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit; and we use our eyes, mouth, and hands to communicate, all for the glory of God.

Ms. Huta also shared a personal story about her daughter Lilly’s journey. At the age of 2, she was diagnosed with hearing loss, which led to many changes in her life. In order to communicate with others and better understand them, she had to learn American Sign Language, and go through many surgeries, due to her need for cochlear implants and some of the complications stemming from that. What helped to get Lilly through those challenging times was Romans 8:28, as she trusted God’s plan for her life. She has concluded that Jesus is the one who gave her bravery and helped her through surgeries and her language journey. Now at the age of 8, she continues to develop her language and communication skills and finds her strength each day in Jesus.

As an extended member of the Trinity community, we are so encouraged by Lilly’s story. It pushes us to reflect on the challenges that others face and increases our desire to intentionally care for others who may be different from us, especially in how they learn or communicate. We can always be more caring, compassionate, and kind to those around us, as we never know the obstacles they may be facing. May God give us eyes to see the needs, hearts to care, and hands for us to meet them.

Sincerely,
J-D Lussier, Principal