After missionaries Opp and Karen Guenard visited Emily Bullington's church, Harvest Church of the Nazarene in Conway, the 10-year-old girl's mind filled with ideas.
The couple started Seeds Ministry two and a half years ago to minister to the people of the Kipsongo Slum of Kitale, Kenya. The slum is home to a tribe that is outcast from the city, and they survive off scraps they beg for and find in a nearby garbage dump. Seeds Ministry runs feeding programs, an orphanage, a school and other programs for the people of Kipsongo.
Emily believed she could raise the $8,000 the missionaries spoke of to feed all 2,500 people in the slum for 10 days.
Her mother, Kelly Bullington, said Emily stayed up past her bedtime excitedly drawing logos, writing letters, making bookmarks, until finally, she approached her parents with her idea.
"It was really miraculous," Kelly said. "She came into our room and said she couldn't sleep. She said, 'I think I can raise all $8,000.'"
Her father, Tim, told Emily he believed it, too, but encouraged her to set a lower goal of $1,000 so she could achieve a small success early in the process, Kelly said.
"What's really neat about it was it was really her idea. She really felt like God was asking her to do it, and she felt like she could do it by asking one person at a time for $1," Kelly said. "She's made it so simple. I think sometimes we make things seem so complicated. When she came to us with this idea, it sounded so right, so simple."
Kelly said Emily's brother, Caleb, suggested raising the money through a lemonade stand. Kelly explained there were not 1,000 people in their neighborhood. That is when Emily suggested taking the lemonade stand from place to place.
"My mom knows I do not like to stay in one place," Emily commented.
In the first six days, she met her goal of $1,000, her mother said. Now the goal is $8,000.
The family has started a Web site, emilyslemonadestand.com, and they have mailed letters to spread the word. Emily will go to schools, churches, businesses, social organizations, stores, etc., where she will give people a glass of lemonade, tell them about Kipsongo and ask them for a donation. The donations have also begun coming in online, Emily said.
Her mother said, "It's been educational, too, because she counts all the money and makes all the deposits at the bank. She's learned geography. We use Google Earth to (look at) Kenya every day."
Emily had raised almost $3,000 by Monday afternoon and expected to pass that milestone Monday night while visiting with Chi Alpha students at the University of Central Arkansas.
When Emily reaches her goal of $8,000, she will make one large donation to Seeds Ministry, as the missionaries have requested, Kelly said.
Emily dreams of doing more for the people of Kipsongo. She would like to travel there with her family to help in the distribution of food to the people. Her mother explained to Emily that taking a whole family to Africa presents another set of challenges, but said if things work out, they will support her in that goal.
"After I feed the people, next I'm going to start on a new orphanage," Emily said.
(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
