Dimes for Jesus
by Charlene West
International Evangelism Coordinator

In November 2002, an appeal went out by Joedy Melashenko for a special project just for children—Dime-a-Day Chapel. Joedy said, “It only takes 15 classrooms, with an average of 20 students in each classroom, each saving a dime a day for one year to fund a chapel in India that holds 250 men, women, and children.” This collection of dimes will also support two lay pastors for one year, two bicycles for them to use in their visitation, Bibles and Bible lessons, a kerosene lamp for night meetings, and other urgently needed supplies.

And, that’s exactly what a number of classrooms and Pathfinder clubs in North America did. They gave their time and saved their dimes, and a chapel will soon be built in India, in the village of Kadayathur, which is in the North Kerala Section. The villagers there will, before long, reap the benefits of the dimes provided by these young people

Each student who contributed their dime a day, which is $36.50, received a Dime-A-Day-Chapel patch, showing their involvement in this outreach program. Since the beginning of this project in November 2002, we received numerous responses from Pathfinder clubs, children’s groups, classrooms, and even families telling us that they were saving their dimes. As a result, plans are now being made to build that special chapel.

Many children saved dimes they received from yard work, household chores, taking out the trash, babysitting, garage sells, birthday money, and even in having a loose tooth pulled. Such sacrifices in order to provide a chapel for the children in India!

The following is a partial list of the various groups or individuals who have participated in this program:

Bremerton Pathfinder Club (Bremerton, WA)
Christopher Sanderson (Battle Ground, WA)
Erika Sanderson (Battle Ground, WA)
Wooster Pathfinder and Adventurer Club (Wooster, OH)
Eagle Rock Pathfinder Club (Los Angeles, CA)
Marysville Pathfinder Club (Marysville, WA)
Cedaredge Pathfinder Club (Cedaredge, CO)

A special thank you to the young people who participated in this project and willingly gave their time and dimes in order to help raise funds for the village of Kadayathur. As soon as the chapel has been completed, each group will be receiving a picture of the chapel and stories about the people who worship there each week.