Cascade Christian Academy,
Wenatchee, Washington
"You have all seen the news and you're aware of the tsunami disaster in Asia that happened during Christmas break," said CCA teacher Anni Hisey to her eighth-grade students. "We've saved about $1,800 for our class trip to British Columbia, and I'm wondering what you might think about donating some of the money to the tsunami victims. We could go camping or something instead of the taking the trip to Canada."

After many questions and much discussion, one student said, "Let's give it all [to the victims]! We can always raise more money for ourselves, but these people need all the help they can get!" Every student agreed.

Later that day Hisey contacted the Red Cross and made arrangements to send the organization a check for $1,860.81. After hearing about the donation, a local newspaper ran a front-page story about the students' sacrificial gift. As a result of this publicity, CCA's phone started ringing. Callers told of how the students' donation inspired other acts of giving. Community members wanted to know where they could send their donations. An anonymous donor offered to send the class a check, reimbursing the students' donation so they wouldn't miss out on their trip to Canada. And Time magazine called wanting more information. Hisey has been amazed at how many people have been touched by their story

"My students and I have had some lively discussions about how God works, and how it's impossible to out give Him," said Hisey. "It's just like Him to turn this around and make so much good come from it-and not just for the victims in Asia, but for people all around the country."

Midland Adventist Academy,
Shawnee, Kansas
In a television news reports about the tsunami disaster, MAA's elementary vice principal, Trudy Hoffman, noticed a van with the name "ADRA" inscribed on its side driving through the rubble in a tsunami-devastated country. "I was so proud of my church," said Hoffman. "It made all of the sadness a little more bearable when I saw not only the name 'ADRA' but also 'Seventh-day Adventist' in the midst of all the ruin and destruction, and to know that my church was reaching out to show God's healing love." This news report, as well as stories Hoffman heard about children across North America who were raising money to help the tsunami victims, inspired Hoffman to talk to her students. They decided to organize a fund raiser dubbed "Loose Change for Lost Homes."

"We asked students to bring loose change to put into a large container that we would keep in the hall display case so they could watch their money grow," said Hoffman, who explained that their goal was $500. "The first day we raised almost $200," she said.

By the time the students were ready to exchange the change for a check made out to ADRA, they had raised more than $1,200, more than doubling their original goal.

And more . . .
The Adventist Review also received reports from staff and students at Takoma Academy in Takoma Park, Maryland, who raised $2,150 for tsunami victims; Caldwell Adventist Elementary School in Caldwell, Idaho, whose students raised $87.00, and Pathfinders from the Dubai Adventist Church in United Arab Emirates, who packed clothes, food, and other urgently needed supplies into 40-foot containers for distribution by ADRA/UK.

These are only a very few of the efforts that represent the spirit of sacrifice and compassion of Adventist children and young adults. We applaud their efforts to make a difference in the lives of tsunami victims.