Rev. Singer joins Comfort Dogs at LCMS Iowa teachers conference

Family illness. Personal loss. Emotional grief. Trauma in the classroom doesn’t just impact students. Teachers wrestle with their own stress, worries, and burdens.   

This week, LCC President/CEO Rev. Chris Singer addressed kindergarten through 12th grade Iowa educators, pastors, and Christian education directors as the keynote speaker at the LCMS Iowa District East Educators Conference in Hiawatha, IA. Over two sessions, Rev. Singer described how trauma in a classroom can manifest and shared some practical strategies educators can employ to help students. 

But it was clear that as the school year begins, the teachers themselves needed to experience the same love, compassion, and reassurance they’ll show their students — and joining Rev. Singer with calm presence and encouragement were LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Glory (Christ – Lincoln, NE) and Michael (LCC Staff) and their handlers.

Often, LCC volunteers make a site visit believing they understand the purpose of the appointment, but God has another plan. On Sunday evening, Iowa teachers welcomed Comfort Dog Glory and Michael’s teams for dinner, fellowship, and laughter. On Monday morning for the “welcome back” training, the excitement, joy, and anticipation for the new school year were palpable. 

“But once again, I was reminded that the reason God brings us somewhere isn’t always the reason we think we are going,” shared Sue Olson, handler for Michael. “Our purpose was to bring comfort to those who were carrying additional anxieties and strains for many different reasons.”

Judy Hanika, handler for Glory, sensed it too.

“God worked through our presence at the conference,” she said. “From the teachers who shared with us personal stories of family illness and loss of beloved pets, petting Glory and Michael brought smiles through their tears. Rev. Singer’s message gave teachers the tools they need to be there for their students.”

Rev. Singer led two sessions Monday morning: “Understanding Trauma and Reframing the Classroom” and “Practical Strategies and Classroom Application.”

In between, attendees were about to sit with Comfort Dogs Glory and Michael to relax and find a moment of stillness. The dogs’ calm presence helped to ease tension from the seminar’s weighty topics — and prepared the teachers to bring similar care to their schools and classrooms.

“We heard from so many that they will be present for their students and show them the same love and compassion that they experienced at the conference,” Hanika said.

For Olson, one encounter stood out.

A young teacher quietly approached and sat down beside Comfort Dog Michael. She began petting him, facing away. 

“I could only see the profile of her face, but I could see the tears streaming down her cheeks,” Olson remembered. “I didn’t say a word. I simply placed a stuffed animal in her arms. She hugged it tightly and, after a moment, used it to wipe away her tears.”

Eventually, the teacher stood and embraced Olson, hugging for a long time and sobbing in her arms. 

“She finally told me that she had just learned her father had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,” Olson said. “She was devastated by the diagnosis and frightened about what the future might hold.”

They talked and prayed. And for a few moments, the young teacher didn’t have to carry that burden alone.
 
“As I think back on that encounter, I am reminded that ministry isn’t always about the plans we make or the events we attend,” Olson shared. “Sometimes it is simply about being present when God puts someone in front of us who needs comfort.”
 
Michael didn’t need to say a word. He simply sat there and allowed the woman to pet him. God used that quiet moment, that gentle presence, and a stuffed animal to open the door for a deeper conversation and prayer.
 
“It is my hope and prayer that Michael and I were able to give her even a small moment of peace in the midst of a very difficult time.”
 
For those who serve God, we may think we know why God sends us somewhere. But He sees the bigger picture.
 
And sometimes, the real reason for the trip is the one person who desperately needs to know that they are not alone.
 
LCC thanks K-9 Comfort Dog handlers Judy Hanika and Susan Holland (Comfort Dog Glory) and Sue Olson (Michael) for serving.

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