OACS News Service

Willowdale's “The House That Love Would Build" display for Haiti.
‘True compassion requires us to put feet to our faith’
Students show Christian ‘love in action’ through fundraising efforts to help Haiti
Friday February 12, 2010 -- Jennifer Higgs
Rather than use a large thermometer on the wall to track donations collected for Haiti, students and staff at Willowdale Christian School built a home through adding items to a display.

Teacher Sharon Parenteau says their target goal to purchase all the items for the ‘home’ at first seemed like an overwhelming task. But when the campaign wrapped up Feb. 10 the North York school surpassed its goal, raising more than $1,700 for World Vision Canada.

“As soon as we heard the news of how serious the damage was in Haiti we really wanted to respond in a way that was immediate and timely,” says Parenteau.

She says they wanted to make the fundraising a learning opportunity, which is how the idea of building a house was sparked.

Called the “The House That Love Would Build,” the display was a visual and tangible reminder for the students throughout the four-week initiative.

The Grade 5 and 6 class, with the spirit team, organized the fundraiser. Each Wednesday from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10 students collected money during the school worship time.

Each week families were asked to donate with a specific blessing in mind. The first week families were asked to donate a quarter for each door in their home, to remind students to be thankful for their safe and spacious houses and pray for the homeless in Haiti.

The second week families were asked to donate a dollar for every sink in their home as a reminder of the abundant provision of daily clean water, as well as to pray that Haitians might know Jesus and experience “living water.”

For week three, families were asked to donate a dollar for each bed in their home, and the fourth week a dollar for every Bible.

Parenteau says it was important for the students to see that love requires action.

“We can feel empathy but true compassion requires us to put feet to our faith, so to speak, and really to follow through with action and take it as an opportunity just to count our own blessings as well,” she says.

“It was really exciting to see the children anticipating the new totals as they were coming in, to see that their actions were a real answer to somebody’s prayer,” says Parenteau.

Students in Grade 3 and 6 at Halton Hills Christian School raised more than $1,700 through making Hope and Healing Bracelets.

Halton Hills Christian School in Georgetown is proud of its Grade 3 and 6 students who made Hope and Healing Bracelets a fundraiser for Haiti.

The bracelets were sold for $2 each. Students made posters that were displayed around the school and visited classrooms promoting the cause. They raised $1,750 for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.

“I felt compelled to teach the kids more about hope and global awareness. I want them to open their eyes to the world outside of their own,” says Grade 3 teacher Michelle Douglas.

Students were shown clips of the earthquake and how it impacted people.

“God gave us the ability to help out and bring hope. We simply obeyed His calling,” adds Douglas.

Principal Marianne Vangoor says she is impressed with the initiative and getting the project off the ground.

“It was truly love in action as they prayed for the Haitian people and gathered resources to help them,” says Vangoor.

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