In Christian communities, I think we often overuse or misinterpret the verse that “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Don’t get me wrong – I think it’s incredibly important to give cheerfully, but there is always the danger that our giving becomes a reluctant obligation. On October 15, I was able to take part in a fundraising event that reminded me how powerful it is to authentically and generously give cheerfully to help people in need.
This event was organized by Cartwright Lighting—a business in Calgary that sells lighting, and just about any home décor item you could imagine. Several times a year, Cartwright Lighting—and their partner store in Edmonton, Park Lighting—runs an event they call a “Charity Day”. Each time this event takes place, Cartwright Lighting chooses one charity and commits to donating 100% of all purchases to that charity. Right down to the last penny! The sheer generosity of this idea of this amazed me, and it was a privilege to be able to be there in person at the event.
This year, Cartwright Lighting chose to support World Renew’s Conservation Agriculture program. This program is training 12,000 farmers in Kenya and Tanzania on conservation agriculture, a technique that focuses on preserving soil quality, helping farmers to achieve larger crop yields and become food secure. The results of conservation agriculture in these communities speak for themselves. In Kenya, 800 farming families learned about the importance of crop cover and in only 30 months, their maize production quadrupled!
As I walked through the aisles of Cartwright Lighting and saw employees working and customers shopping, it was encouraging to know that their actions would help to transform thousands of lives on the other side of the world.
Over $61,000 was raised for World Renew’s Conservation Agriculture project by Cartwright and Park Lighting.
I’ve had several years of experience in the retail sector, and I’ve never witnessed generosity like this. What is most amazing to me is that this generosity did not come begrudgingly or from a feeling of obligation – it was a response to Christ’s love for us and his call to support the vulnerable and hungry in the world. As employees engaged with customers and shared about the Conservation Agriculture project, there was a palpable joy, because they knew that the impact of that day would be felt in eternity, forever changing the lives of families in Kenya and Tanzania.
When it was all said and done, over $61,000 was raised for World Renew’s Conservation Agriculture project by Cartwright and Park Lighting. It is my prayer that this Charity Day would encourage you, as it has encouraged me, about the power of cheerful giving and abundant generosity.
Thank-you to Victor and Betty Johannesen, Rick Johannesen, Tony and Debbie VandeKraats and the rest of the management team, and the staff at both Cartwright and Park Lighting for your incredible generosity and making this event possible.
