It had been over a year since our last Meatball Fundraiser, which benefited the Nashville Rescue Mission. The kids had been asking to do more, but life has been so crazy and busy that there just hadn't been any time.
Then, at Mass over the summer, a visiting priest gave a homily about a charity that helps needy families around the world. There were brochures in the aisles that Xavier started perusing through, and he was very intrigued by the idea of purchasing chicks to give to the needy so that they can make money by selling eggs. He even gave me some of his piggy bank money so he could help.
I started researching this organization, and it spiraled into finding all sorts of wonderful charities that do similar endeavors. The kids started to get really fascinated by the idea of purchasing a cow for a family and wanted to do all they could do get $300 to do so.
Hence Meatball Night 2018. We opened up the fire pit, grilled hot dogs and hamburgers (and had meatballs, of course), and then invited guests to bring the rest potluck style. We invited friends, encouraged their children to donate even something small, put up signs at the workroom at school, and did chores to raise extra money.
After Meatball night, we were about $40 short of getting a cow. And, believe me, I was torn. Should they "settle" for goats and chickens? Should I pay the difference so they could get a cow? What lesson do I want them to learn from this? However, some last minute donations came in and we not only were able to purchase the cow, but we had enough left over to make a small additional donation to CRS!
I am so grateful to see so many people pool together so that we could do this. My kids ended up learning a valuable lesson: even if everyone just gives a little, when you put it together, it really adds up! They learned the gift of generosity and of giving. Even now, the kids pray nightly for "the family who now has a cow."
For this, I thank you!
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