One Girl With a Big Heart + Silly Bandz = Lots of Smiles

One Girl With a Big Heart + Silly Bandz = Lots of Smiles

Sarah Ramsey had an idea. Silly Bandz (little rubber band size bracelets in many shapes) were fading as a fad. She and her friends had lots and lots because they were fun to trade. What to do when a fashion statement no longer speaks? Sarah decided to collect as many as she could and send them to other children who could appreciate the silly fun of the bands. She was very successful in soliciting her school and church friends. Now, what to do with the several thousand she collected?

Sarah's church, College Park Baptist in Greensboro, NC, is our sending church. And more importantly they have been long time supporters of the Ruth School where we now minister. An email arrived from Sarah's mom, "Would the students at the Ruth School like some Silly Bandz?" With a little help from couriers coming our way from CBF MO we soon had more Silly Bandz than we could count. And Sarah, being so thoughtful, had categorized the Bandz according to their shapes, making it easier to figure out what they were. (I confess I am not very knowledgeable about Silly Bandz.) Now how could we best distribute them?

This past week we had a team from Bonsack Baptist Church in Roanoke, VA doing Club for our students. One day the story was about Joseph and his coat of many colors. Suddenly it all made sense! We couldn't give each child a coat but we could give them multiple bright colored bracelets to wear as a reminder to ask God for help during those difficult times. Each child got 10 and soon they were trading back and forth, grinning from ear to ear. They loved their bracelets!

This is a great example of people working together and God using several groups to bring about a wonderful thing. One girl had the idea to collect bracelets and carried through with it, many contributed to the stock, three men from Missouri carried them across the ocean, and a team of youth distributed them reminding the Ruth Students of God's love for them. Thank you Sarah Ramsey for being the caring young lady you are. Thank you God for working in our lives to bring about such a happy moment.