One offering I will never forget – I was young, new to ministry, and it was my first Vacation Bible School as an ordained pastor. We had a top-notch team of adult volunteers and a fabulous week planned. But I wasn’t prepared for the offering that week.

Our director that year was captivated by Heifer Project International and had led us to choose them as the recipient of our week’s offering. The idea fit nicely with our Noah’s Ark-themed VBS – animals and all that. But her weekly offering goal was a shock to many of us – more than ten times what had been offered during VBS in the past!

That first Monday evening, I began to see the magic she had planned. During the opening session, when all the kids were together to sing and dance and hear about the exciting week planned, she announced the offering goal and told the kids (and adults!) in the room why she had set the goal so high – why the work of Heifer was so important! And then she grabbed two small wastebaskets, handed them to two teenage helpers, and ran to the CD player to play “Oh Maria” from Sister Act 2. (youtube)

The kids began dancing and laughing as they passed the “offering plates” around the room. What a joyous site!

Four evenings in a row this offering proceeded, with a new inspiring song each evening – and more joyful money was given as the week progressed. Until the final Friday evening – when parents were all invited to come see what had transpired during the week – art projects, songs learned, skits performed. And finally, the last joyous offering – the same wastebaskets, the same simple announcement about Heifer, concluding with “Joyful Joyful” (youtube).

I could tell you that our director raised her goal and then some. But that’s not the message. The moral of this story is: God loves a cheerful giver.