How much should we raise?” asked Audrey Walker, one of the Primary Sabbath School volunteers at Chattanooga, Tenn., First Church. The children enthusiastically said, “$100!”
Since the fourth quarter of 2022, the Primary Sabbath School class at Chattanooga First Church has shown extraordinary devotion to raising funds for missions. With an average weekly attendance of between 10 and 12 children, the class has done a commendable job of raising funds for their mission project.
Each week, Walker, who has a burden for missions, leads the mission story during Sabbath School. She began by presenting a story from the quarterly Missions magazine that features stories of children from another part of the world. After each presentation, the class talked about the child in the story and the part of the world in which the story took place. The children became so impressed by what they were learning that they wanted to do something to help make a difference — and so began their exciting venture into raising funds for missions.
At the beginning of their fundraising initiative, Walker wondered, and asked the class, if the children could raise the $100 they suggested. The children responded with a confident “Yes!” and began talking about ways to raise this “large” amount. They turned their enthusiasm into action by doing chores like working in a garden, and raking leaves. They worked hard, really hard, and at the end of the quarter, they exceeded their goal. The class was exuberant.
Energized by their success, the children immediately wanted to try again. This time they set a quarterly goal of $200. And, they were thrilled when they exceeded it. They were getting used to the taste of success and were fired up to keep going. Their next goal was $300. At that point, their teacher pointed out to them that they needed some fundraising strategies to raise that amount. They received permission to set up a stand at the Village Market in Collegedale, Tenn., where they sold lemonade and cookies. With their teacher, they prepared posters explaining their mission project. They rejoiced in the blessing of going over the top once more. But, the energetic youngsters didn’t slow down with the satisfying outcome. They set their next goal at $400 and raised $430.
The mission-minded primaries and their teachers continued working on their project with the help of parents and relatives. They accepted donations, did chores, and collected coins. At the end of the third quarter 2023, the class had raised $1,300 for missions. As Walker watched the children grow in faith each quarter and saw how God blessed their efforts, she realized that God can use the little ones in marvelous ways. “This was a learning experience of faith for me,” she said.
The far-reaching impact of their teacher on the faith-walk and future lives of these youngsters is inestimable. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson has credited the mission stories he heard as a child in Sabbath School with influencing him to become a medical doctor. When the little ones are brought to Jesus under the caring guidance of dedicated teachers, their lives are touched for time and eternity.
Georgia-Cumberland | April 2024
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