During the summer months our church (Slate Hill Mennonite Church) has been featuring a different missions group after the church service. As part of this missions in motion summer series, the coordinators put together a very clever fund-raiser. They made $10 available to anyone who wanted to use his/her talents to try to raise more money for Thriving Villages. Specifically, the funds will be used to help provide solar fruit dryers that Johnny Zook as developed for Pestel.
I think the idea is fantastic, and is based on Jesus' parable of the talents. I'll see about getting you a write-up of the different ways people used their gifts.
One really creative way occurred today after church. Several of the kids in our church have been planning a soccer game fund-raiser that happened after church today. As part of that, some of the $10 was used to purchase drinks and food to sell at the soccer game.
It's really exciting for us to see people excited about participating in helping the people of Pestel. And it's amazing to see young children coming up with creative ways to participate all on their own!
A couple of weeks ago our church held a rummage sale. Pat and Bill White put a tremendous amount of time and effort into this, and half the proceeds were donated to Thriving Villages!! They raised over $800 for Thriving Villages!
I'll let you know how much the $10 fundraiser brought in. I think the final total will come next week, or thereabouts.
This is really about allowing us to participate in the good work that God has laid out. It's not and has never been compulsory. In fact, you've probably seen a general lack of appeals for donations and so forth. That's been intentional, and is our way of operating as we try to determine how best to navigate forward in God's will. If people are compelled it is because the message is somehow ringing true in their lives.
There are a couple of important items that we'd ask you consider praying about:
- Tropical Storm Irene. It's going to hit Haiti around Tuesday.
- http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?5-daynl#contents
- A tropical storm can cause significant devastation, especially in a place like Haiti. The word I received about the last tropical storm is that it did not appear to cause much damage. That's based on limited info, but I also didn't see much in the news.
- Political situation in Pestel. Recently the new representative to the Haitian govt for Pestel died (gunshot). An investigation is underway.
- Sabbatical. I'm putting together a proposal to take a sabbatical next year (July 2012-June 2013). I'll be meeting with my Chair this week to talk about it.
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Ben
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