Harvest service

Reflections on our harvest by Rev Katryn

“This is just so right,” was my thought at the School Harvest Service.  “We are teaching our children by our own example here. Let me explain.”  “Who is my neighbour?” a young man asked Jesus.  We may know the story of the Good Samaritan, which was Jesus’ answer to the question, “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus’ story shows us that our neighbour is anyone in need, near or far.

At our School Harvest Service we had a porch full of food and toiletries which were going to the Foodbank and the Women’s Refuge and then throughout the day we were raising money to provide school meals for Gairo B School in a region of Tanzania that is very hard hit by famine at the moment.  Our families have the satisfaction of helping locally and globally. By our example our children are learning to be local and global citizens.

They are also learning that charity has a cost. It involves some sacrifice.  I was so touched to hear of our children spontaneously giving of their pocket money to help children like themselves across the globe.  It’s not the children of Gairo’s fault that they were born in Tanzania. Neither is it their fault that their region is suffering famine (you may have opinions on the role of global warming in all of this).

We love our neighbour by doing what we can with what we have.  We live our values, which build the common good, when we teach our children that neighbours are all sorts of people who live both near and far.  The Halesowen Foodbank, the Halesowen Woman’s Refuge and the children of Gairo B, Morogoro, Tanzania will be blessed and so will we in our giving.  This was Jesus’ vision.  It is ours as a church school in Cradley.

Rev Katryn

Children's comments following our harvest service

• ‘I will try not to be so ungrateful and will appreciate everything I get. I will never let too much go to waste and to help we can continue to raise money for them’
• ‘I thought I was really ungrateful because looking back now I regret every single bit of moaning I did. I am also angry with myself because the moment I saw those pictures of the children my eyes filled with water. I just wanted to make it fair between us. I will give all I can for them and try my hardest to keep my link with them forever.'
• 'I will try to give those children as many pennies as I can to light up their life and I will always try and help to raise money for them’

• Our harvest service made me feel like I was really special and that I belonged with Tanzania. The first minute they began their speech my heart pounded like I was going to burst into tears and while that feeling began I felt like I belonged to Tanzania and Cradley. I was also thinking about the fun things we all did and that it lit up my best 2 weeks of term I’ve ever had.’

• ‘Our harvest service made me feel warm inside. When Mr Masu gave a speech I felt sad- we need to help Gairo B. I feel I am at the heart of the world and they are my brothers and sisters. I will try to be grateful for all the things I get from good to bad. We love you.

• ‘When Mr Masu gave his speech my eyes filled with water and my heart overflowed with love’