That Bread Was *How* Much?

See the loaf of bread The Girl is holding?

It cost $400.

Now, it wasn't so much me coughing up that kind of serious cash for a plain old loaf of grocery store whole wheat. Nope, it was four people, opening up their wallets because people in Kenya are starving, and donating $100 each to "purchase" the bread my daughter proudly carried to the front of the auditorium.

Ah, the MCC relief sale. I love, love, love it. I love hanging around with a bunch of Mennonites and watching people share their gifts. I love seeing people ooo and ahhh over intricately-sewn quilts. I love hanging out with friends from church, teasing them about the white gloves they don to protect the quilts as they help bring them for display at the auction.

And I LOVE watching my kids participate. Last year, The Girl was put into a refugee camp-style tent and was "freed" when donors dropped a cool $400. This year, she was part of a similar group - 12 kids walked up with loaves of bread and money started to pour in. There were 12 loaves of bread in total, and we raised an unbelievable $8,000.

It is mind-boggling watching people (who I'm fairly certain had already spent a fair amount of money on baked goods, crafts, and verenkje) reach even deeper into their pockets and throw money at something intangible.

And it is throat-lumping to see my kids be a part of it. I volunteered with the kids' activities again this year, and I got to help my own littles make bags they can use to take food to share with others. Then later, eye-mistiness set in again when I caught out of the corner of those eyes The Girl looking thoughtfully at the collection basket and news story posted beside it detailing the plight of starving Kenyans and then grabbing a dollar out of her allowance to add to the pile.

The best was observing them after the sale, when a group of us took the bread to a homeless shelter, and they gleefully donned plastic gloves to turn these high-priced loaves into sandwiches for tonight's guests. (Take $8,000 and divide that by 12 loaves with 16 slices each, add some donated meat and cheese, and those sandwiches cost $42 each. That's a heckuva lot more than Jimmy John's!)

Some days I despair that we live in this snobby, ritzy suburb where we are surrounded by people who inhabit the top three percent of income level in this country and that my kids are growing up with no concept of what it is like to be in need. Sure, they neeeeeed a new DS game, and they are TOTALLY put upon when supper has too much melted cheese or we have to have pizza again, but quite honestly my children have never known a day of real need in their lives (nor have I, for that matter).

So days like today, when we can leave that world behind - even just for a few hours - and not only remind ourselves that the home, food, security, independence, opportunities, and sheer wealth that we have are available to increasingly few in this world, but also share in the joy that comes from using that awareness to play the teensiest part in something so overwhelmingly gracious and loving - days like today are my best.

Busy with sewing projects - The Girl is well on her way to being a true Menno girl and bought herself some fabric for her treat today.