Thursday, October 20, 2005 - B. Lavender
What started out as a humble idea to raise a few dollars has now become a vehicle for God’s blessing.

With an original goal of about $50 in mind, a dozen students from Mr. Lavender’s Grade 6 class organized a bake sale this past week. When the flour settled and the sweets were eaten, the grand total was a whopping $204! But, as the students were to learn, the blessing of success continued to grow.

Within hours of the sale, the money was delivered personally to Peterborough’s Red Cross office by Principal Ray Hendriks and a few of the bake sale volunteers. As part of the Canadian government’s commitment to assistance, the money has been dollar-matched, netting a total of over $400 for immediate ate assistance to the people of Pakistan.

The idea for the sale began to take shape after the class viewed news reports and read accounts of the hardships endured by the people of Pakistan in the wake of a devastating earthquake.

“Even though they are far away we felt challenged to help in some way,” says Hannah, one of the many bake sale organizers.

“It was a busy day,” says Rachel, another student who helped out with the event. “The number of people that bought treats and gave us money was overwhelming.” In addition to purchasing baked goods, many students and staff took the opportunity to make a donation to relief efforts.

As the prayers for Pakistan continue, it’s also comforting to see an immediate outpouring of support as another way of connecting God’s people around the world.