patronoftheyear

Mr. Arthur E. Schaefer

Born August 19, 1908
“Your Handshake is better than a contract.”

We have had the privilege of getting to know Mr. Arthur E. Schaefer over the last nine months. My wife Sarah and I met Mr. Schaefer, for the first time, last January at his office. We were there to thank him for his generous unrestricted donation and to find out a little history about his life and his family.

Mr. Schaefer was born in 1908. He doesn’t look his age. He has a warm and inviting smile and his eyes are engaging. Despite his age he still goes into his office every day. That cold January day Mr. Schaefer was surrounded by his son Ric and his trusted associate Kathleen. I couldn’t help but think of them as a team. Seeing Ric and Mr. Schaefer interact, I couldn’t help but feel the loss of my own father and how I wished I could see him every day as Ric is privileged seeing his father.

We asked Mr. Schaefer about growing up in Wisconsin in the early 1900s. He told us that his mother and father were pious Jews from Poland and his father was a shoemaker, making shoes for crippled feet. His father died at an early age. He talked about his brothers and sister and how his older brother Ben had a profound influence on his life. He talked about gathering coal along the railroad tracks near his home with his sister and taking it home to his mother. His favorite food was potato pancakes and how he liked all the cucumbers and cabbage his mother put up every fall.

We talked about Founding Family and how we helped children and he put his finger on our brochure and asked if we couldn’t do for children in Israel as we do for children in China. Sarah and I are so thankful that Mr. Schaefer led us in the direction of Israel. We came back from Israel and revisited Mr. Schaefer in the early summer. Mr. Schaefer’s donation has started many works in Israel. I can’t help but think of God’s humor. We went to Israel with Santa Claus, who takes toys for children to hospitals in Israel every Christmas and we met two dedicated Nuns that run Saint Vincent Ain Karem, Home for Physically & Mentally Handicapped Children. They needed a whirlpool bath and we were able to give them a check to buy their very first whirlpool bath. Sister Katharina looked at Santa Claus and said, “You are truly Santa Claus, thank you for Mr. Schafer’s gift.” How fitting to think that Mr. Schaefer’s father made shoes for crippled feet and part of Mr. Schaefer’s donation provided a whirlpool bath that would relieve the pain in crippled legs and feet. It was also irony for me because my first job out of College was working with the mentally handicapped.

I told Mr. Schaefer that the Nuns need a new building and if he was up to helping me raise the $2 or $3m that was needed. He smiled and said, “Get me a lot of your cards and I will help.” His donation also saved five children from abortion in Israel through 2007. He has also helped build a school for Orphans in India and helped poor children pay for their school tuition in China. There are plans in the making to help Ethiopian Jewish orphans who have been rescued and brought to Israel.

Thank you Mr. Schaefer and we pray to God He lets your generous gift be like the oil in the lamp story in the Torah and Old Testament that many of us memorized as children and as adults reassures us that God keeps His promises to His children, God rescues His children and gives His children His unending love. Peace to you and your family and to those who you have helped so generously.

We ask for God’s mercies for all of us working to save and comfort children.

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