The little boy and his sister
Once upon a time there was a little boy and his sister. They loved to watch TV and play games. One day the little boy decided to ask mommy if she could help them do a lemonade stand. But his mommy at first said no...and then said yes but never really got to it. So the boy kept asking and asking until one day, his mommy said "yes".
Then his mommy asked the boy and his sister what they would do with the money they earned. The boy had not thought about that so he had no answer. So his mom suggested they consider raising money to help the kids in Niger they had been hearing about at church.
They had heard that there was a country called Niger, in Africa...it was supposed to be far far away. People had shown them pictures of people who lived there and they had even met a missionary whose family was living there now, helping the people there gain skills so that they can have the means to take care of themselves. The boy remembered also hearing that many people in Niger did not know about Jesus, nor did they have Bibles. The boy's sister remembered a story she had heard from that missionary, about a boy named Jesus who had an accident. They both had wondered if there were camels and giraffes in Niger.
*******
So they thought their mom's idea made sense and together they decided to go to the supermarket to find that perfect box to make their stand.
They looked at Costco and No Frills but came home disappointed. Their mom told them they would go back again another day. And so the boy and his little sister continued on with their days, but never forgetting this project.
Finally one day, they find the perfect box. They take it home and with mom's help they begin to build a stand using tape, toilet paper and construction paper they bought at the Dollarama next door. They were so excited! Finally, their dream was going to become true!
While they were working on their stand, their mom asked them HOW they would get people to come to buy their goods. She also asked them if they would sell anything else other than lemonade. The boy at first said that people passing by would buy but when his mom reminded him that very few people walk by their house, he realized he had a problem. So his mom suggested she would help them find people. Meanwhile, the little boy and his sister decided to add cupcakes on top of their lemonade offer.
Their mom reminded them that this was their project and kept asking them if they really thought they could do it - The little boy got upset at first, wondering why his mom was asking them that over and over again but soon enough, he understood.
Mom showed them the poster she had made for them and he read it - "It's perfect, mom", he said. "How many friends do you have mom?", he asked, wondering how many people would come to his stand. The date had been set: FRIDAY before Back to school.
As the orders poured in online mom told the little boy to write down the orders in his little Lightning McQueen book. The little boy hated to write but he obeyed. These words were new to him too - there were so many interesting new people's names to write. For a lot of them, he kept asking where these people were from, so mom would explain that most of them were either from our church or were the parents of his school friends in the neighbourhood.
As the days approached, and the orders poured in, the little boy and his sister were shocked at how many cupcakes they had to make so mom suggested they would have to start early. They baked for the first time, and cracked all the eggs needed. In all, they cracked a total of 23 eggs!!! It was tough and the boy had a rough time but never gave up. A few tears were dropped in the process. But the little sister kept encouraging her little brother as she found it much easier to do than her brother.
Mom had to help mixing the batter and making the buttercream but they stood beside her the entire process. Then it was time to put the batter on the liners. Mom asked them to help for a bit and they did - it was sure hard work! All in all they baked close to 150 cupcakes!
When the cupcakes cooled down they put them in big plastic containers - and the little boy and his sister worked hard as a team. Then mom showed them how to pipe icing on the cupcakes and they were oh so excited!!!! But in the end they asked mommy to help. "This sure is hard,mom" - the little boy exclaimed. To which his sister commented: "We had no idea, right, goh goh (brother)?"
The fun part was next. Mom brought out rainbow sprinkles and chocolate sprinkles and away they went, decorating every single cupcake they had a part of making!
That night, after supper and bath time, they became very weary when their dad told them it was almost time to go to bed. The boy exclaimed "But we have not made lemonade and the rice milk cupcakes yet!" So, after all, they were owning this project, their mom thought. So late at night, they went downstairs and after mom cut the lemons in 2 pieces, they took turns to squeeze juice out of those lemons. Again, it was hard work!
Finally, mom helped them make some vegan cupcakes - they had to be made after cleaning up the kitchen so that nothing was cross contaminated. The process seemed to fascinate the boy more than his little sister. THEy made 2 batches and they were shocked that they didn't have to crack eggs. After pouring the batter on the liners, mom sent them upstairs and off to sleep.
*********
It was Friday, and the little boy could not wait till he could sell his cupcakes on his lemonade stand. He woke up early and went straight to his mom's bedroom asking, again, what time people would come in.
People started coming to get cupcakes throughout the day, and at first it was confusing for the little boy and his sister how this would work. At first, for the first few customers, they also found it challenging to drop what they were watching on TV or playing in the play room, to go and greet their customers. They also weren't sure how to sell.
But the little boy and his sister were watching. Soon enough they realized everyone coming wanted cupcakes, and they could ask politely if they wanted lemonade too. They could explain to them a little about Niger, and then ask them to pay. When given money, mom reminded them to thank people and to ask if they needed any change.
As the days progressed, the little boy brushed up on his math too - he was dealing with money and there was a lot to learn in the process. But whereas some kids would have relish on the thought of having so much money, they seemed perfectly content with simply hugging and talking with the customers.
By 7:30 PM the little boy had become a pro at lemonade and cupcake selling. Mom didn't do any more coaching and simply watched on the sidelines with a very thankful heart. The little boy and his sister learned a lot this week. They probably have no idea of what they have learned, or how they have impacted their young and old customers, as well as Niger, but the experience probably has touched their hearts in a meaningful way.
Both kids were exhausted but feeling very content. They have had their lemonade stand experience finally!
**********
They still have to deliver some cupcakes over the weekend but after mom counted all the money in their Niger box, she told them they had surpassed their $100 goal. They raised $448.60!!!! And mom explained to them how the number was significant in reminder her (and them) that was more than what a man like daddy would make in one whole year in Niger, if their bosses paid them.
The little sister all of a sudden had a weary face, and asked, "But mom, how are we going to send this money to Niger?". Mom was taken back at first not understanding the question and explained she would give it to the girls in the at risk school the Missionaries work in. But the girl wasn't asking about that. She asked again, "No, mom, but HOW are you going to give them the money?" So mom realized the little girl was thinking very practically. Mom then explained to her mommy would put the money in our bank, then write a cheque which is a paper the bank gives us telling us how much money we can get from the bank, and send that paper to the missionaries. She also said that maybe we would send the cheque to the church so that they could send it to Niger faster. She said she would find out and then tell them.
The little girl seemed content with the answer.
THe End.
Niger Vocational Training Centre
To read mom's reflections, CLICK HERE
Then his mommy asked the boy and his sister what they would do with the money they earned. The boy had not thought about that so he had no answer. So his mom suggested they consider raising money to help the kids in Niger they had been hearing about at church.
They had heard that there was a country called Niger, in Africa...it was supposed to be far far away. People had shown them pictures of people who lived there and they had even met a missionary whose family was living there now, helping the people there gain skills so that they can have the means to take care of themselves. The boy remembered also hearing that many people in Niger did not know about Jesus, nor did they have Bibles. The boy's sister remembered a story she had heard from that missionary, about a boy named Jesus who had an accident. They both had wondered if there were camels and giraffes in Niger.
*******
So they thought their mom's idea made sense and together they decided to go to the supermarket to find that perfect box to make their stand.
They looked at Costco and No Frills but came home disappointed. Their mom told them they would go back again another day. And so the boy and his little sister continued on with their days, but never forgetting this project.
Finally one day, they find the perfect box. They take it home and with mom's help they begin to build a stand using tape, toilet paper and construction paper they bought at the Dollarama next door. They were so excited! Finally, their dream was going to become true!
While they were working on their stand, their mom asked them HOW they would get people to come to buy their goods. She also asked them if they would sell anything else other than lemonade. The boy at first said that people passing by would buy but when his mom reminded him that very few people walk by their house, he realized he had a problem. So his mom suggested she would help them find people. Meanwhile, the little boy and his sister decided to add cupcakes on top of their lemonade offer.
Their mom reminded them that this was their project and kept asking them if they really thought they could do it - The little boy got upset at first, wondering why his mom was asking them that over and over again but soon enough, he understood.
Mom showed them the poster she had made for them and he read it - "It's perfect, mom", he said. "How many friends do you have mom?", he asked, wondering how many people would come to his stand. The date had been set: FRIDAY before Back to school.
As the orders poured in online mom told the little boy to write down the orders in his little Lightning McQueen book. The little boy hated to write but he obeyed. These words were new to him too - there were so many interesting new people's names to write. For a lot of them, he kept asking where these people were from, so mom would explain that most of them were either from our church or were the parents of his school friends in the neighbourhood.
As the days approached, and the orders poured in, the little boy and his sister were shocked at how many cupcakes they had to make so mom suggested they would have to start early. They baked for the first time, and cracked all the eggs needed. In all, they cracked a total of 23 eggs!!! It was tough and the boy had a rough time but never gave up. A few tears were dropped in the process. But the little sister kept encouraging her little brother as she found it much easier to do than her brother.
Mom had to help mixing the batter and making the buttercream but they stood beside her the entire process. Then it was time to put the batter on the liners. Mom asked them to help for a bit and they did - it was sure hard work! All in all they baked close to 150 cupcakes!
When the cupcakes cooled down they put them in big plastic containers - and the little boy and his sister worked hard as a team. Then mom showed them how to pipe icing on the cupcakes and they were oh so excited!!!! But in the end they asked mommy to help. "This sure is hard,mom" - the little boy exclaimed. To which his sister commented: "We had no idea, right, goh goh (brother)?"
The fun part was next. Mom brought out rainbow sprinkles and chocolate sprinkles and away they went, decorating every single cupcake they had a part of making!
That night, after supper and bath time, they became very weary when their dad told them it was almost time to go to bed. The boy exclaimed "But we have not made lemonade and the rice milk cupcakes yet!" So, after all, they were owning this project, their mom thought. So late at night, they went downstairs and after mom cut the lemons in 2 pieces, they took turns to squeeze juice out of those lemons. Again, it was hard work!
Finally, mom helped them make some vegan cupcakes - they had to be made after cleaning up the kitchen so that nothing was cross contaminated. The process seemed to fascinate the boy more than his little sister. THEy made 2 batches and they were shocked that they didn't have to crack eggs. After pouring the batter on the liners, mom sent them upstairs and off to sleep.
*********
It was Friday, and the little boy could not wait till he could sell his cupcakes on his lemonade stand. He woke up early and went straight to his mom's bedroom asking, again, what time people would come in.
But the little boy and his sister were watching. Soon enough they realized everyone coming wanted cupcakes, and they could ask politely if they wanted lemonade too. They could explain to them a little about Niger, and then ask them to pay. When given money, mom reminded them to thank people and to ask if they needed any change.
By 7:30 PM the little boy had become a pro at lemonade and cupcake selling. Mom didn't do any more coaching and simply watched on the sidelines with a very thankful heart. The little boy and his sister learned a lot this week. They probably have no idea of what they have learned, or how they have impacted their young and old customers, as well as Niger, but the experience probably has touched their hearts in a meaningful way.
**********
They still have to deliver some cupcakes over the weekend but after mom counted all the money in their Niger box, she told them they had surpassed their $100 goal. They raised $448.60!!!! And mom explained to them how the number was significant in reminder her (and them) that was more than what a man like daddy would make in one whole year in Niger, if their bosses paid them.
The little sister all of a sudden had a weary face, and asked, "But mom, how are we going to send this money to Niger?". Mom was taken back at first not understanding the question and explained she would give it to the girls in the at risk school the Missionaries work in. But the girl wasn't asking about that. She asked again, "No, mom, but HOW are you going to give them the money?" So mom realized the little girl was thinking very practically. Mom then explained to her mommy would put the money in our bank, then write a cheque which is a paper the bank gives us telling us how much money we can get from the bank, and send that paper to the missionaries. She also said that maybe we would send the cheque to the church so that they could send it to Niger faster. She said she would find out and then tell them.The little girl seemed content with the answer.
THe End.
Niger Vocational Training Centre
To read mom's reflections, CLICK HERE
Comments