 On Monday, November 18, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Dove (Peace - Fremont, IN), Jael (Trinity - Hobart, IN), Jared (Holy Cross - Fort Wayne, IN), Magdalene (Cornerstone - Carmel, IN), and Michael (LCC Staff) traveled to Hamilton Heights High School in Arcadia, IN, after the school’s very much respected and loved principal Jarrod Mason died after being in ICU for over a week with medical issues that he was not able to overcome. The students and teachers returned to school Monday after his funeral on Sunday. This was a most welcome visit to have the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their caring and present handlers and ministry partners as the students and staff were still processing their feelings over Mr. Mason's death. Principal Jarrod Mason was principal at Hamilton Heights High School for over a decade. He was 48 years old when he died and has three children; the youngest is a sophomore at Hamilton Heights High School. Principal Mason grew up in Hamilton Heights and also attended the high school in his youth. "He really had the ability to communicate with everybody," Hamilton Heights Superintendent Dr. Derek Arrowood said. "Our community is devastated. He was a dear friend, and he cared about kids. They always knew he was going to be fair. They always knew he'd be firm. But they always knew that he'd love them no matter what." Principal Jarrod Mason oversaw at least 1,000 students plus staff. His death affected many of them deeply because of how much he showed he cared about them through action and words on a daily basis. Several of the teachers at Hamilton Heights High School were extremely grateful LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams were there and were amazed at how calm and calming the dogs were for the students and the staff. Many students talked about missing Mr. Mason’s loud welcoming voice in the morning and his genuine support of the students and their activities. Specifically, most recently encouraging the band to enter competitions. He even went to cheer them on in support. Many of the students enjoyed spending time with Jared Comfort Dog as they loved his name. Jared’s name was a sweet reminder of Principal Jarrod Mason.  One of Magdalene Comfort Dog’s handlers shared a special moment at the end of the day with a young lady who stayed and petted Magdalene for most of the last class period. She shared with the handler right away that she was an introvert and often found it difficult to talk to people. Yet, she stayed and talked with Magdalene’s handler for at least 30 minutes, sharing everything—from her love of art and mythology, to what she wanted to do after graduation. The young lady also spoke about how much she admired Principal Mason, describing him as incredibly kind to everyone. The entire time, she gently petted Magdalene, visibly relaxing as she talked. Before she left, she thanked Magdalene’s handler repeatedly for being there, saying how much better she felt after spending time with the dogs. The students at Hamilton Heights High School were incredibly gracious with several of them asking about how the dogs are named and were interested in looking up their Bible verses. A reminder how God is always at work. This ministry is also a reminder of how God uses us in ways we do not expect. God sends the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams in ways they do not always expect. Yet the handlers and ministry partners are open to and follow where God leads them. There was one young lady who spent over an hour with Michael Comfort Dog. She lay on the floor nearly face to face with Michael as she chatted with the handler and asked questions. "She appeared to have some personal challenges that kept her from having friends at school. I told her that Michael might have a new best friend and it was obvious that he enjoyed spending time with her. I believe the time she spent with us was important to her because she felt accepted, loved, and understood."  Another memorable encounter was a girl who stopped by to visit several times during the day. The young lady and handler talked about the Comfort Dogs and were so thankful for what we do. On another visit, the handler noticed she had a bracelet that indicated she was in the band. Michael’s handler encouraged her to talk about music and had several of these little conversations about various topics throughout the day. On one of the visits, toward the end of the day, the young lady audibly gasped. When they asked if she was alright she responded that she had noticed the Uvalde pin on the handler’s lanyard. She asked the handler why she had it. The handler explained that she went with Jael Comfort Dog to Uvalde, Texas twice. The girl had tears in her eyes as she told Michael’s handler she lived in the next town over from Uvalde and was in school when the shooting occurred. She continued to talk about the fear she felt that day and in the days following. She asked several questions about their time spent in Uvalde and thanked the handler repeatedly saying that we had no idea how important their “job” is. One handler shared, “I am reminded daily that God’s plan is greater than my own understanding. God used our visit today to touch the lives of these children in a very special way.” Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. (1 Corinthians 7:17) Comments are closed.
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