Introduction
Plan a yard sale to raise scholarship funds to send children to summer camp. Participation in a camping program makes a lasting impression on those who attend. Children today face many difficulties. Camp gives them the chance to escape for a few days, make new friends, build their self–esteem and learn about the love of the Savior. What an amazing opportunity to serve and show children the love of Christ
Work Idea
In advance of the yard sale, ask the women to make a set up list of what will be needed— tables, chairs, sun shades, cash box, pricing stickers, newspaper to wrap breakable items and bags to hold purchases. Recruit volunteers to cover the hours of the sale, utilizing not only the women but also kids from the youth programs. Go over yard sale tips to maximize your profits. You can find many helpful sites on the Internet: Wholefully.com/yard-sale-tips and cheatsheet.com, and happinessishomemade.net. Set up a day for collecting and pricing items for sale. Remember to keep your prices low. Advertise the event to draw in customers.
Refreshments
Sell snacks such as cookies, fresh fruit cups and lemonade.
Program Ideas
Plan to set up various stations at the yard sale that will generate other income.
Craft Station
Offer simple crafts that the children can make at minimal cost.
Kids Mystery Bags
Fill paper lunch bags with little treasures for kids such as games, stickers, candy and pencils that have been purchased from a dollar store. Sell the bags for $1.00 each.
Pet Adoption
Ask the women to donate gently used stuffed animals that their children no longer want. Also the thrift store may be another source for suitable animals. Create a pet coral using four pieces of white garden railing.
Lemonade Stand
Build a lemonade stand out of four wooden crates and invite the women to paint and decorate it. Use triangle shaped flags made from cardstock to advertise the price and hang them with string across the front of the stand. Check the website: https://www.socialdad.ca for pictures.
Repurposing
Display various items that have been repurposed: picture frames, mason jars, t–shirts. There are many examples on Pinterest. Invite some of the women who enjoy crafts to make some of these items that can then be offered for sale.
Game Idea – Beauty Is In the Eye of the Beholder
Assemble a supply of women’s clothes along with fun accessories: necklaces, hats, sun glasses. These could be donated from the women and after the game could be included in the yard sale.
Put together teams of two—a runner and a dresser. The runner picks out the most fabulous outfit and then helps their partner to put them on over their clothes. Have the women vote for the best outfit. Have different winning categories such as most fashionable, most unique and most likely to never be worn in public.
Teach Them to Your Children
“Teach them [God’s Word] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deut. 11:19).
After tucking my little girl into bed I listen as she begins her prayers. “Now I lay me down to sleep,” she says and continues to offer prayers for many things. She tries to remember people who are hurting, sick, or in need and then goes on to thank God for her Mommy, Daddy and every other member of her family including our brood of animal’s, name by name. Occasionally I catch myself wanting to rush her so she will just go to sleep. But in these moments, the Lord speaks to me. My heart is full and grateful for the love and trust she has for her Lord at such a young age.
I think back to my own childhood and the many missed opportunities when someone could have shown me this pure, innocent love that I so needed. Sometimes all it takes is the kind gesture or an invitation to make a difference in a child’s life. And then an invitation came to me. I was going to summer camp. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was filled with such joy. Who was this Jesus that my friend was talking about? I didn’t know, but I was ready to find out. That week at camp is forever imbedded in my heart and my memories as some of the best days of my life. The lessons I learned about Jesus, the songs we sang around the campfire, and the friendships made were life changing. Camp has a way of doing that for a child. It doesn’t offer them just a week to get away, but rather a week that can change their life completely.
My children know the Lord today because someone showed me a kindness and love that I had never experienced. I was shown the love of Jesus Christ and was taught to live for Him. And as my little girl says her prayers, I am thankful for this gift that may have started off small but will last for generations to come.
We have an opportunity to shine God’s light in the lives of the children in our community today. Deuteronomy 11 reminds us that our children should learn the disciplines of the Lord, His majesty, His mighty hand and outstretched arm. They should see Him daily in the way we love, the way we serve, and the way we share His good news.
As women of God, we have the chance to make a difference in a child’s life, like my friend did for me so many years ago. Let us not see this as a hardship, or burden, but as a blessing, an opportunity that the Lord has entrusted to us. We can help these beautiful children to become all God intended them to be and to make an eternal difference in the world.
Let our joy in the Lord be contagious to those around us. May our voices sing praises for all to hear and our actions be pleasing to Him. Let’s teach our children not only in word but by example day by day.
