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Themes: "Initiative, Opportunity Real M.M.
Sarah Jackson drove her Jeep Cherokee slowly down Lincoln Avenue. Unfortunately, she saw something that was all to familiar in her town. The kids from her neighborhood were playing football in the street while the younger kids played ball or rode their bikes on the sidewalk. She thought about how unsafe it was to play in the street and how many times she had let her own children do the same thing. The problem? Mrs. Jackson's town, Smithfield, had no playground.
Mrs. Jackson thought long and hard about this and finally decided that she was going to do something about it. She talked it over with her husband Tom and he agreed that it was too bad the kids had no place to play. "But what can one person do about it", said Tom,"what are you going to do build it yourself?" Just then Mrs. Jackson had an idea. "No I can't build it myself, but Smithfield can!" Mr. Jackson didn't understand and he didn't have a chance to ask because Sarah Jackson had already picked up the phone.
Mrs. Jackson began making phone calls to neighbors and local businesses. During each phone call her questions were the same: "Do you think Smithfield needs a safe place for our children to play?" and "Would you be willing to donate time, labor or money to make sure that happens?" She made calls for over two hours and she was amazed at the response, nearly every person said yes! She decided that this was a worthwhile project and started to devote a lot of time to it. Over the next ten months some amazing developments took place. The city donated an old house on a big corner lot. A local construction company demolished the house and the Boy Scouts hauled away the debris. Mrs. Jackson and other local groups raised money for supplies like lumber, swings and chain link fencing. In just ten months, they raised over $80,000.00 and the local lumber yard offered to pitch in an extra $2,000.00 in supplies.
Mrs. Jackson organized "Smithfield Park Days", when for five days in April volunteers came from all over to build the playground. Some dug holes and mixed concrete while others built the large swing set. Some people planted shrubs while others put up a fence around the property. In an incredible five days, The Smithfield Park was ready for action.
IIn the Bible story about Nehemiah there was a need. He immediately set about doing whatever he could to repair the walls of Jerusalem. Dear friend, you have a need today, the need to be saved. Don't ever let anything else be more important to you. "Now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2
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