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Can you just put me where you need me?

I love this new job. It's much longer hours, it takes a lot of bravery and I feel like I mess up a lot--but I love it. Wanted to write down an experience from a couple weeks ago.

We had our newest batch of volunteers in for training on March 25. These people are taking time off work to sit in a classroom for 16 hours (8 each day) and hear all about how the system works--or doesn't work-- and learn all about trauma so they can help explain it to a child who has had their life turned upside down. It's such a cool experience to sit in the back of the room and look over 30-40 people and know these are people who are going to make a difference in the world. They just are.

As I sat there listening to training a co-worker handed me a survey she had sent out to all of these people a week or so earlier, asking why they were interested in becoming a CASA and if they had any last-minute questions before they showed up for training.

One woman's answers caught my eye. When asked why she decided to become a CASA she wrote she had heard about the program several years ago but didn't have time then. A year or so ago she had gotten sick, diagnosed with Lupus, and had to leave work. Now she's feeling healthy again and feels like she has time for CASA.

Under "Any more questions?" she wrote: "I've heard I can really make an impact on a child's life and that we get to choose our own case. Can you just put me where you need me?"

The sweetness of that question really struck me. I found myself thinking about her on the way home. My sister Michelle was diagnosed with Lupus and it is not an easy thing. In fact, it's life threatening as it was in Michelle's case. So here at the CASA training was a woman who had been through this terrible illness and as soon as she was feeling better she was eager to go out and help others. And she wasn't picky about that help either. She was willing to go where ever she was needed to really make a difference.

My heart broke a little bit, thinking why did this sweet lady have to go through such a tough illness? Why did Michelle, who was so exactly the same way (meaning the sweetest of all sweet people) have to go through something like that? And then I remembered her question "Can you just put me where you need me?" and I had the distinct impression that that was not the first time she had asked that question.

I had this thought (I want to say vision but that word seems too strong. Maybe it was a vision) that as this woman (and Michelle too) was being taught in the pre-mortal world about earth life and all the places she could go, all she could experience and what she might learn along the way--and also the struggles she might experience and that others around her might experience--and all the ways she might help others--that she was asked where she would like to go. Maybe she was asked what she wanted her family to look like. Maybe she was asked where she wanted to live. Maybe she was asked which challenges she thought she could handle. And I just pictured her asking her Heavenly Father, "Can you just put me where you need me?"

I had this strong impression as I was in my car that we are put where we are needed. We may not know what good we are doing but we are exactly where we need to be. We are exactly where God needs us. He will put us there. It may be in a way we want but it will be for our good.

This woman didn't want to get sick and lose her job--but it allowed her to volunteer for this program and change the life of a child. Michelle did not want to get sick either but her example changed my life and I'm sure many others too. She volunteered in many places whenever she was healthy--always searching for ways to help children. She would have made a great CASA.

This Saturday that woman and all the others from that training class will be sworn in by a judge to be official CASA volunteers. I've arranged to have the swearing in done in the Supreme Court courtroom on the 4th floor and to have media come and film the event. It will be a very special day and I cannot wait to experience it!

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