At Summerville Charter School in Nashville, Tennessee, Sandra Elliot was a teacher. She was an academic with a doctorate.
But when she and her husband James did not have children, she took a job that paid much more than her academic credentials would have paid for in order to be near the kids.
All of Sandra’s students adored her just as much as she loved them. She was kind and gentle.
She was interested in their lives outside of school and always tried to assist them. Who would have thought that her inquisitiveness would lead her to an unexpected discovery?
One day, Sandra noticed one of her students, 12-year-old Robin Hollister, sitting quietly in the corner and staring out the window as she passed her classroom during lunch break.
He had his lunchbox right in front of him, but he looked lost and hadn’t even opened it. Why does he not eat? Robin is always the one who anticipates the lunch break most eagerly.
Is he not doing well right now?” As she was about to approach him, she pondered. But Mrs. Anderson, the school’s principal, called her at that exact moment, and she had to leave.
Sandra had mentally decided to ask Robin why he hadn’t eaten lunch the day before the next day before she got to class, but he wasn’t there.
She saw Robin leave with his lunch and a plastic bag in his hand as she looked out the window. Sandra quickly left the classroom and quietly followed Robin.
She found the boy picking through the trash and vigorously putting the leftovers in the bag. She said, covering her mouth in shock, “Oh dear!” Why is he acting as he is?” Robin suddenly turned around and sped off.
Despite the fact that there were still a few classes before the end of the boy’s shift, Sandra was tempted to follow him and inquire as to his motivations.
Therefore, she decided to confront Robin the following day. Unfortunately, Robin was not seen again the following day during lunch.
He wasn’t there when she rushed behind the school to the dumpster, and she looked out the window but didn’t see him.
She continued past the dumpster, discouraged when Robin suddenly crossed the street carrying the same bag he had used to fill the leftovers.
I’ll find out where that boy goes every day. He must have been hiding something all along! Following the boy, Sandra took a taxi to report her absence from school and sent a text to the principal citing health concerns.
Christmas was quickly approaching. Sandra was aware that there would be a lot of work to be done for the school Christmas party if she told the principal that she needed time off for reasons other than her health.
Even though she did not want to, the woman was forced to lie. She asked the taxi driver to slow down so Robin wouldn’t notice her while she was sitting in the vehicle.
She had no idea what the boy was doing with the leftovers, but she could see him happily strolling down the street. Robin suddenly entered a narrow alley that Sandra’s taxi couldn’t get into.
As a result, she got out and followed the boy until he came to a stop in front of an old, decaying house. Sandra hid in an alley not far from the house while she watched Robin run away with his lunchbox and bag on the doorstep.
She made the decision to confront him by approaching him from behind. Two children, a boy, and a girl emerged when the old house’s door opened.
The boy appeared to be no older than five, while the girl appeared to be Robin’s age or older. Sandra started walking toward the house when she saw a woman emerge.
She was curious about who they were. She had a bad appearance, her hair was messy, and she looked serious. As they turned to look at the woman, Sandra could see that the children’s happy expressions were fading.
“I have cautioned you numerous times not to leave the house without my permission,” I said. You, children, are just as pointless as your father!
Now it’s you two, you brats! He never listened to me! She held the children’s ears and twisted them as she yelled at them, causing them to cry out in pain.
“Mom! Please, please, don’t do that! The young woman yelled It’s painful. “Yes, Mother! We’re sorry,” the young boy continued.
When Sandra saw the woman making fun of the children, she decided to confront her because she could no longer take it. However, she noticed a strong odor of alcohol as she got closer to the woman.
“Who are you as a mother?” She said with a serious expression. Although I should not interfere because they are your children, can you not see that they are suffering?
And who are you to get in the way? They are my youngsters. I do as I, please! The woman shot back. The children suddenly released their mother’s hold on their ears and crept up behind Sandra.
“Please assist us. She doesn’t feed us, and she spends everything we have at home on alcohol. Because he had had enough of her, Daddy left us behind. Please don’t leave us to her alone! The girl made a plea.
“Don’t be worried, okay?” The young girl was comforted by Sandra. She is no longer going to harm you! Sandra grabbed her phone quickly, texted James the address, and asked him to come over right away.
He was a policeman with the Tennessee State Police, and it just so happened that his team was doing patrols in the area where Sandra lived. He and his teammates arrived quickly to save the children.
Catherine was arrested for child abuse, and when officers searched her house, they found not only bottles of alcohol but also a briefcase full of stacks of cash, which she had apparently obtained after taking all of the insurance money that the father of the children had left for them.
Sandra washed, fed, and dressed the children, Jessica and Spencer after they were taken to the police station by Sandra and James to record their statements.
Sandra and James made the decision later that evening as they sat with the children as they slept to adopt them and give them a new life.
They had been trying to have children for a long time, and God finally chose to give them not one but two beautiful children!
The court revoked Catherine’s parental rights and imposed a prison sentence for her child abuse. At the Christmas party, the school principal praised Robin for his bravery and kindness because he had decided to assist Jessica and Spencer.
It turned out that the boy was sneaking away with the leftovers every day during lunch break without telling anyone because he was afraid that if his mother found out that he was helping Jessica and Spencer, she would yell at him.
Because Catherine appeared to be a bad person and an alcoholic, she had advised him to avoid the children.
Fortunately, however, his mother came to the conclusion that she should have assisted Jessica and Spencer rather than avoided them as a result of Robin’s behavior.
So, on Christmas Eve, she made her famous roast turkey with gravy, stew, green beans, honey-glazed ham, and Christmas dinner for Sandra, her husband, and the kids at her house.
They shared stories about each other’s lives and praised Robin for not only doing the right thing but also for bringing a miracle to the lives of two children who were living miserable lives on Christmas Eve.
They all had a wonderful dinner together.
