Michigan—The Sanchez/Ancel Sabbath school class in Lansing, Mich., has been collecting a special offering for missions since 1997. During those years they have raised $6,907.85 and have enjoyed doing it.

Each Dec., at a Christmas money-counting party, they share a light potluck, enjoy one another’s company, and count what they have collected before sending it on to a mission project. Also, in June or July, monies raised to that point are accounted for and sent on rather than holding them until the end of the year.

This past July 2004, the class sent $400 to a Russian orphanage, $100 for a Philippine supply airdrop, and $100 to mission teams in Ghana. In December, they sent $183 to the Skinny African Cow project in Kenya. Kenya has an abundance of grazing land. Skinny cows are taken in and grazed for six months then sold for a 90% profit to support Christian education.

They also sent $375 to a Russian orphanage when they learned the children were only getting warm water for supper. They have supported this orphanage since first hearing about the need in 2001.

Some of the other projects in the past included adding a children’s room to a church in India; contributing to a worthy student fund in Yap; donating to special mission projects in South America and Bulgaria; sending prison postcards; supporting churches and chapels in India; donating to Adventist Frontier Missions, in support of former Lansing member, Chris Sorenson; airdropping supplies in the Philippines; and, supporting mission teams in Ghana, West Africa.

God has indeed blessed their efforts. While most of the senior class members are unable to travel to these faraway places, they want to share their blessings with those less fortunate and help those who can go abroad to spread the gospel.

Penny Ancel, Lansing (Mich.) Church Sabbath school class coordinator