My Global Birthday Wish Abbie Creed   © Copyright 2025 by Abbie Creed

Photo by Alexa at Pixabay.

Many years ago, when I was working as Religion Coordinator at St Raphael, we had a wonderful program in school called “Global Awareness.” It was coordinated by a 7^th grade teacher. When that teacher left to become a principal in another school, I was asked to be in charge. I had already worked in the program helping to plan events that included religion and events that took place in church, so I suppose I was in line to do the honors.

Over several years, the program grew, and the children were not just hearing about many countries but were getting to know a whole lot about the people and their cultures. Each classroom, and there were 24 of them, had a different country. A friend of mine, whose son I taught, volunteered to make flags for each room. The flags hung outside the classroom doors. My office had the Papal Flag, and the principal’s office had the Church flag and the American flag. It was quite an impressive sight to walk down the school hall.

Every year at the first Monday morning Value Session in church, the school celebrated Global Awareness Kick Off Day. Each classroom marched in church under their own classroom flag carried by a student and as the class took their seats, their flag carrier took his or her place in front of the altar. After all were seated, a description of the individual countries was read and a synopsis of what each class would be learning during the year.

The teachers could select their country and over time several of the teachers visited their country over the summer. They gathered materials from the various Embassies, from books and from parish families. The children learned about the customs, foods, games, religion, and traditions of their respective country. This was a yearlong learning program that included speakers, arts and crafts projects, and show and tells. Several of the teachers contacted a school where language was not a barrier, and the students became pen-pals. The children and their parents were encouraged to research what they could and bring in pictures or some event to share in the classroom.

Some of the highlights were visitors from China, who taught the children how to make peace doves using origami method. Our school made 1,000 peace doves to be taken to China and used at the Doves for Peace Monument. We had speakers too, a Bishop from Uganda, a black priest from Louisville, a missionary from Guatamala, and a family from France.

Global Awareness Day ended a weeklong celebration and was a big day for the students who had been studying and planning all year for this day. The foods for lunch were prepared by parents who made a variety of foods from various countries for the children to sample. All week displays outside each classroom with arts and craft projects and information readings prepared by the students, along with letters that they had received from other students were available for everyone to see. Parents came to view the results of the hard work that had been done all year.

One year, this week of celebration took place during Kentucky Derby Week. On that Monday, a large RV was parked in front of the church parking lot. The woman driving the vehicle approached our associate pastor and asked him if he could help her. She was the mother of three children and her husband was the pilot of the Fugi blimp that had been seen circling the city for Derby Week. Chantal, the mother, and Dominique, the father were from France. They had three children; Pierre was in the 6^th grade, Paul Marie in the 5^5h grade, and Edmee, their daughter was in 2^nd grade. Chantal home-schooled the children and it seems that little Edmee had received a “Gold Book” for preparing her for First Communion, that had been given to them when they were in Washington State back in the fall. Edmee had completed the work with her parents and was now ready to have her First Confession and First Communion. They were hoping that she could make it while they were here in Louisville.

Fr. Phillip took care of Edmee’s First Confession. But he told Chantal that she would have to talk with me about First Communion. Since I was the coordinator of our program at St. Raphael, I got the bright idea that God surely sent this family at this very opportune time, our Global Awareness Week. So, I went to the principal and asked if we could possibly put these children in school for a week while they were here. Things could not have worked out better for both of us. What a teachable moment!

The children went to their respective classes, and we arranged for Edmee to celebrate her First Communion at our big Global Awareness Mass at the end of the week. Fr. John Dalton was the priest who did the honors. Fr. John was from Ireland. How appropriate! And as had been previously planned, he would be the celebrant at mass.

Our service began with the children marching from school called the Parade of Nations, each classroom again marching under its own flag. The organist was playing “It’s a Small World” on the organ at top volume so we could hear it outside. The children were seated before mass began and the flags were placed in large urns on either side of the altar. The French family marched in the entrance procession with Fr. John and the celebration began.

Fr. John, with his delightful Irish brogue, talked with the children about some of the customs in his own country and about how God loves us all, no matter what language we speak or the color of our skin. He reminded us that though each of us looks different, and that each of us acts differently, and though we may not speak the same language, we are all the same in the good Lord’s sight.

Edmee made her First Communion, and the family spent the rest of the day enjoying all the displays from the various classrooms. They ate lunch together and I think the children learned firsthand information about life in France and they gained new friends that day and vowed to become pen-pals.

That afternoon Chantal invited me and my husband, who was wheelchair bound, out to dinner to celebrate Edmee’s First Communion. I explained to her that I had a much better idea. We could celebrate at my home, and it would be more private. She would only agree under one condition. She had to furnish the meal.

That evening when the RV pulled up into my driveway, I wasn’t sure it would fit. Neighbors were watching the whole procedure and wondered who was visiting me in this big thing. The occupants surely had to be celebrities. I had decorated the dining room with things that I had left over from grandchildren’s events here at my house and Dan was more than excited to have company for dinner.

Chantel had Kroger prepare a four-course meal and deliver it here to the house. They brought bottles of sparkling wine drink. It looked like champaign but was non-alcoholic. She came armed with a cake and a handmade gift for me. She had made a cloth bag with my name on it for me to put plastic bags in. I hung it on the basement stairs and when I needed a bag, I pulled one from the bottom this bag and remember sweet Chantel. She not only taught those very well behaved and mannerly children in that vehicle, but she used a sewing machine in it as well. I didn’t ask her, but I have a feeling she had made Edmee’s First Communion Dress. They traveled all over the country to various events and that RV was their home away from home. Dominique, the blimp pilot, left a gift for the children, an autographed book for the school library about dirigibles. He also gave a talk at school about dirigibles and their operation.

I have kept up with the family over the years at Christmas. Dominique had left the Fugi company, and they had settled in Germany. The children went to school there and they did not know the German language. Chantal said they learned the language quickly and adjusted to life in Germany. As the children grew over the years, I received photos of them on occasion and as each of the children married, I received a picture of the wedding along with my Christmas card.

About 10 days after my 90^th birthday, twenty-three years later, I received a Birthday card from Chantal with pictures of all three grown-up children and their mates and a nice newsy letter. They all still live in Germany.

How did she know it was my birthday? She saw it on Facebook! My children had posted it. I still don’t know how she got it but nevertheless she did. Edmee had tried to find my email address to no avail. Chantal sent her own email address in her letter and within 15 minutes, I sent her a mailing, and we chatted on-line from here to Germany as if we were right down the road. She sent a video of her granddaughter playing in the snow, the same day we had snow here in Kentucky. I have always cherished this experience and credit the Spirit for orchestrating the whole event. Proving ever again that this truly is a small world!