We are so grateful for all of our donors and the creative ways they give back and help us continue bringing hope to children in need throughout Africa! Today we are featuring Dave and Vicky Skoda…
I did my first short term missions trip to VOH Kitwe in 2004. Our goal was to build one of the orphan homes. In preparing for the trip, each one of the eight members of the team was required to participate in raising funds for the cost of the home, approximately CAD $25,000 at that time.
Aside from the cake & pie auctions, penny drives, etc. that we did within the church, I chose to do some personal fundraising also. I wrote a letter to all my friends and family informing them I was going on a missions trip to Africa. I explained what Village of Hope was about and what we would be doing there. I ended the letter asking each one if they would consider a financial donation towards the cost of the home, ensuring them that all funds raised would go directly to the project and not towards any of our traveling expenses.
The response was quite amazing!
That first trip was a real eye-opener to the great need and extreme poverty in Africa. So many children needing food, clothing, homes, families, education, love. (Not necessarily in that order.)
When I arrived back home, I felt the Lord leading me to bump my tithe up by 2.5%, putting that extra tithe into a high interest savings account for VOH. I know 2.5% doesn’t sound like much, but I dare you to give it a try! It adds up pretty fast and although it might not seem like much here in North America, it can make a big difference in the life of the African children.
When we made our second trip in 2006, that money was added to the rest of the funds raised by the team.
While on that second trip, I was thinking there had to be other ways I could raise funds. My problem though, was time. Every idea I thought of required time and I was already so busy time was hard to come by.
Then I thought maybe I can raise funds doing the things I already do.
I work in construction and on every job I saw lots of copper, lead, brass, and aluminum being thrown away. So I started picking it up and taking it home. When I had a bunch I would take it in to the scrap metal dealer.
I have done this many times and seldom come away with less than $200. One trip with a load of aluminum brought in $700 for Village of Hope! Praise the Lord.
Sometimes I will do some small repair job for somebody and not charge them anything. Most times they insist I take something for it. That’s when I tell them about Village of Hope and explain I don’t want anything for the work, but if they insist on giving me something, it is going directly into my VOH fund.
In addition, we also hang and cut game meat for friends and only charge them for the hydro to run the cooler. If they insist on giving more–as they often do–they know the extra is going into our VOH fund.
There are so many ways to give back without adding a lot to your workload.
Look at what you’re already doing. Can you donate one hour of your time per week/month/etc.? Do you have a hobby making wooden toys, knitting slippers, baking….? Can you make one extra item and sell it for VOH?
The next time you have a birthday, in lieu of gifts, can you ask people to make a donation to VOH? Put your imagination to work and the sky is the limit! It doesn’t take much to make the difference between life and death for a child in Africa. $5 feeds a child for a month, $10 buys a family a chicken.
We can all do our part!
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great testimonial.