I didn’t question Timmy, age nine, about the brown wrapping paper he carried with him that morning as we shopped.

The year 2000 was my first Christmas with Timmy. I had become a mentor (Each One, Save One) to him through his school at the beginning of the school year, that September. It was a local public school in New Orleans only three blocks from St. John Lutheran School where I had been principal for 5 years. Many children in New Orleans lacked strong role models in their lives and Timmy was one of many participants at his school in the mentoring program. The program asked for a minimum of one hour per week with a child. I would usually have lunch with Timmy one time a week and then help him some with his school work. He began coming to the home volleyball or basketball games at St. John when our middle school students would play on Saturday morning.

We had a plan this Saturday morning as we shopped. “Could we go to a shoe store?” he has asked me. “I want to buy some new shoes for my Daddy so he can go to work.”

In the shoe store (Just for Feet) where my son, Allen, then a Senior at Lutheran High School of Greater New Orleans, worked, we went to shop. My son was working and we went to him for the boots. He was pleased to see us and asked Timmy what he was looking for, new shoes for himself or what? “I want a pair of work shoes to fit this foot,” he said.

Billy explained that it was the pattern of his Daddy’s foot. He had drawn it while he was asleep in a chair. My son held the paper against the metal measuring device and then walked back into the back of the huge shoe store. Soon, he came with an open box. “Will these do?” he asked. Timmy grew so excited. The tan work boots were beautiful and with great eagerness he asked, “How much do they cost?”

The price on the side of the box on the large pink sticker said $39.95. Timmy explained that he only had $10. It was the money I had given him before we went shopping. The mentoring program discouraged buying gifts or giving money to the children we worked with, preferring that time and energy be what we offered.

My son smiled at me and Timmy and said, “$39.95 was the original price but I think they are on clearance. Let me go check the actual price.” Timmy was both apprehensive but excited and together we watched as my son appeared to scan the end of the box at the register. He came back and said, “They are the last pair and they are only $7.95. Should I put them in bag for you?” Timmy did not even look at me. He just said, “Yes, I want them for my Daddy.”

The smile on my son’s face (and mine) must have extended the entire width of the store. We concluded our purchase and went across the street so Timmy could shop for his mother and one sister with the money that he had left. Not once did he think about himself. I am sure that Christmas was wonderful for Timmy’s family, especially his father. I know from Timmy that he did go back to work in early January, being in construction. Timmy often told me how much his Daddy loved his boots. I know, too, that Timmy already knew Jesus and he understood that people must care about others. I also certainly know that Timmy taught me about giving and Christmas that year. The simple experiences that each of us has in our daily walk with the Lord touch us with such depth and often instead of being the teacher or mentor, we become the learner. I was so blessed for the short time that I mentored Timmy. In April of that school year he was murdered in his home, together with his sister and parents, killed by a friend living with them. It was a tragic thing and forever a part of me. I love what he taught me for the months that we were friends.

Dr.Falkner