I’ve learned in recent years that there is such great joy in giving. My idea of faith, whatever one’s religion, is reaching out to the vulnerable and the needy, there is little in life to compare with it.

I see that I am not alone. Even thought we will never make their news, we are making our own.

I want to thank you. The new Bishop Maginn High School Wish List  is sold out. You purchased every thing on it over the weekend. The final item was purchased early this morning. The Army Of Good got them enough stuff to last awhile – paint, paper, frames, brushes, markers.

One of my favorite things with Wish Lists is to hear about the response on the first day the packages all hit, every place I’ve worked with has gone into shock when they see the range and power of the people we call the Army Of Good.

By the end of the week the list will be replenished with a list that will hopefully give the school and its beautiful singers a choir.

Volunteers are showing up to direct the choir, one good woman is sending her new Yahama guitar, another has sent me boxes of music, and we don’t expect the remaining costs to be high.

Wednesday, I’m going to the school and I to take a short video of the children singing. Soon, they will be singing in a choir.

I believe a choir would an enormous gifts for the students, many of them refugee children who are poor and have suffered greatly in their lives. A choir would help make Bishop Maginn’s work visible throughout the community and give these eager and creative children a powerful outlet for their creativity.

But more on that later. Today a whole bunch of boxes will arrive at Bishop Maginn, and for the first time, the students in the art class and their dedicated teacher, Sue Silverstein, will have the supplies the need to give every student in the class a creative outlet for their feelings and their gifts.

I am overwhelmed, but not surprised at your generosity and empathy.

I can’t quite believe I am saying this, but I feel that Bishop Maginn is a special place touched by the angels, or God if you prefer. The students are special people, so are the people teaching them. We’ll get to know them better in the near future and beyond, I am committed to doing whatever I can to further the work of the school.

Really, there is no one else I know in my world doing the work they are doing at a time when it is so desperately needed. They need help and are open to it.

Thanks for your support of this, our newest Wish List. The best is yet to come.

The above painting was by Bishop Maginn artist Paw Lway Shee, a refugee student from Myanmar. Her first photo, published here, sold for $50. This one is also for sale, if you are interested, e-mail me: [email protected].