Christ's Mass

Yesterday was the annual Lighthouse Toy Drive--it went AWESOME. Better than awesome in fact. I can't say how wonderful all the staff, volunteers, donors and recipients were the entire day and weeks leading up to the drive. I must say, I was bracing myself--not necessarily for the worst, but just bracing. You never really know what to expect in any situation life brings along, but yesterday was such a pleasant experience!

This year, Beth (aka, new associate director/my boss/my roomie) suggested we ask each family who "shops" at our toy drive to donate $1.00 per child to Lifeline International (my home churches mission outreach in Cambodia). She is a visionary! I was excited when she said we should/would do this, but I have to admit, I had my doubts about the response. I honestly thought most people would show up and not have their donations, due to whatever reasons (which would have been valid! Those we serve struggle financially-thus them being at a toy drive in the first place!!) Well, those we serve showed up in a big way yesterday(n0 pun intended), and I felt something like i'd imagine doubting Thomas did in the Bible.

The parents who shopped yesterday raised nearly $800 for Lifeline!!!!!! Now this may not seem significant to you, but consider:

1- We had about 180 parents come to the drive. I'd say 50% donated MORE than $1 per child to Lifeline. They WANTED to give beyond their means.

2-The cost of living in Cambodia is about $2 per day in the city. Most people live in country so it's less! $800 is more than a father with 6 kids will make working for 3 years in the rice fields.

3- It costs our mission about $1200 to run our school, orphanage and pay the entire staff each month. The families of our toy drive nearly knocked out a month of expenses for Lifeline!!!

There are so many highlights i'd like to share with you about the drive. I could probably blog for a week about it, but just one other quick story i'd like to share. One staff member at the Lighthouse has a son who is always volunteering. Every summer and break from school he is there helping out. So naturally he was there helping yesterday. While we were waiting for our lunch to show up, Beth and I were talking to him and he said he wished more people would come through. I was thinking it was because he was bored and wanted to see some action (he was a "security guard" for the day). When we asked why he wanted more people to come through he said "I just want to see as many people as we can get presents for Christmas." What an attitude!

I am overjoyed with the way God touched many lives through the TD this weekend, but I am especially overjoyed at how God touched me and my heart through witnessing the servitude and generosity of the many that helped and the many that came to be helped. It was what I imagine attending Christ's Mass would be like....