Teacher Sonia holding the beloved dove.

A favorite part of her week is the Monday "God talk" in the big circle. Surrounded by curious children, Sonia may use a picture book entitled "Where is God?" or small feathered dove, a lovely symbol of the Holy Spirit. The dove is particularly useful in teaching about peace and sharing. Many of the students are from Catholic families, but not all, so Sonia is careful to use language that all children can be comfortable with. A discussion about "God is love" will be brought down to a practical level as she asks the children, "How do you show love to your classmates?"

And do the children understand?  While "God living in our hearts" is a bit abstract for the younger children, the older children "get it" and most are able to articulate their thoughts about God.  One student shared recently, "I pray every night. God is in my bedroom."

Sonia, herself a Catholic, shares that her own faith has grown a lot over the last few decades. A breast cancer survivor, she has experienced God's love, provision and strength in her own life and she is happy helping young ones grow in their own spirituality.