Lake Region—We all know about the devastation and heartache the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami caused in Asia and South Africa. We are also aware of agencies such as Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) that raised funds and helped these victims. Tyler Barber, a ten-year-old young man from the Conant Gardens Church in Detroit, Mich., decided he also wanted to help these victims.

The needs of tsunami victims were planted in his mind when his school resumed after the Christmas break and his teacher suggested each student should help them recover. Tyler went home that day and immediately told his mother he wanted to sponsor a bake sale so his class could participate in raising funds to relieve the tsunami victims. Tyler's mother first contacted his teacher and obtained permission from the YMCA Service Learning Academy director, where Tyler attends school, to have the bake sale on Feb. 14, 2005.

When the day arrived, Tyler was the only one who came to school with baked goods to sell. Undaunted, Tyler and two of his classmates took a cart with cookies, cupcakes, and mini-cheesecakes around to the classrooms to sell to students and teachers. The response was overwhelming; Tyler went home and begged his mother to bake more goodies to sell the next day, which she did.

By the end of his two-day sales event, Tyler had raised one hundred sixty-seven dollars to send to tsunami victims. His compassion also caused adults at his school and church to reflect on how their influence can result in actions by their students and children. When adults show compassion and kindness for others in need, children learn from their actions and are also willing to help others who are less fortunate. When we show love for those in need, we show it to Christ, who is their Creator and Redeemer (see Matthew 25).

Matilda Martin, Conant Garden Church correspondent, with Bruce Babienco Lake Union Herald volunteer correspondent