CEE Story From The Mission Field
Unusual tactics brings record giving to Lottie Moon at mission meeting
July 10, 2007
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) regional leader Rodney Hammer took the Lottie Moon Auction to a whole new level this year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Greece. The giving got very personal as he submitted to a complete head-shaving after the suggestion won $10,000 worth of approval from the missionaries.
It all started with Information Technology expert Hawk Hawkins, who prides himself on his long, healthy beard. He offered to have it shaved off for a price. After Carol, his wife of 20 years, said that she had never seen him without a beard, the bids rose quickly. A war ensued between those who wanted to shave it and those who wanted to save it. The shavers won at $700.
Hawk’s sacrifice inspired others. Mark Byrd and Mark Aderholt, both baldies, raised $4,500 among the missionaries for Rodney’s hair. When presented with the challenge, Rodney, a long time advocate of a hairy head, balked despite the enthusiasm of the crowd. In a desperate attempt to keep his hair, he set the impossible goal of $10,000 for his precious head covering.
“I never thought they’d reach it,” he admitted later.
He was wrong.
His wife’s cries for mercy went unheeded as the missionaries joined forces to raise the money. When the bidding slowed, the volunteers started helping--one even giving $1,000. Within minutes Rodney’s fate was sealed. He sat in the middle of the room and submitted to the clippers. Annie Byrd, the wife of one of the original conspirators, did the deed. When it was all over, Debbie approached her husband’s shiny head and gave it a big kiss.
That is the story of one of the most expensive haircuts in history.
Rodney’s sacrifice helped the missionaries of AGM South to exceed their goal of $40,000 for the Lottie Moon Offering. They reached an all-time high of $52,000. This, added to the $38,000 raised at the AGM North in March, brought CEE’s total giving to Lottie Moon to over $90,000 for 2007.
The Lottie Moon Auction is an annual event sponsored by the missionaries at AGM. The volunteers bring goodies from the States that missionaries can’t find in Europe like Oreos and Root Beer. The missionaries bring treasures from their countries like wood carvings and hand-woven rugs. A silent auction is followed by a loud and raucous live auction that always brings lots of laughter, amazement and generosity. This year Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups went for a whopping $700 and a wooden hand-painted calendar brought $1,800.
The spirit of the giving touched one woman so deeply that she gave her heirloom diamond ring to be auctioned off. This 5-diamond 14-carat gold ring was sold for $2,500. Though the donor remained anonymous, her reward will be great in heaven.
“I love the auction,” said one missionary. “It’s a highlight for me—a way for us to give back from all that God has given us.”