Contributed by Laura Walls in Ideas for your Ministry
We were bumping along a dirt road in rural Africa last year, talking about the inspiring people we've met on Vision Trips when Megan had a huge brainstorm. "You, know, we've heard so many incredible stories on the last three Vision Trips - and from three different regions of the world. Wouldn't it be amazing if there was a way to create a resource for CAs so they could share these stories at home? Cambodia could represent Asia, Nicaragua could represent Latin America, and Rwanda could represent Africa. Really, we already have all the stories we'd need to create it!" She looked at me and did that thing she does when she's had an idea spark. It's this quick gesture like she's bookmarking a thought to save it for later. And I'm pretty sure that's what she did because a few weeks later, I got a call with this idea and a proposition. Would I be willing to take my notes and some of the pictures from the last three Vision Trips and turn them into a Global Dinners resource based on regions? There would be invitations, recipes, and a script - really everything a Child Ambassador could need to make it easy. Like an event in a box! It was one of those "Am I dreaming?" moments. Would I be willing to help create a World Vision Experience for our team? Ummm, YES! Like a million times over, YES!!!! But later, as I started working on the project, reality set in. I kept picturing World Vision CEO, Rich Stearns, at one of the Child Ambassador conferences teasing, "We're the people who don't get invited back to dinner," because as World Vision staff and volunteers, we inevitably end up talking about people living in abject poverty and asking them to sponsor a child! I was like, "Oh my goodness. How on earth am I going to create a Global Dinner resource that people will actually WANT to host?!! It needs to be fun, light, and interactive but it also needs to talk about hard things. How is that going to work?" So I researched Experiential Dinners, Mystery Dinners, and Experiential Events looking for tips and ideas. And I lost a lot of sleep praying desperate, middle-of-the-night prayers for the Lord to give me wisdom and creativity! One particular weekend, I also called all of my prayer warrior friends and family and asked them to pray, too, and that was the weekend that the idea really fell into place. (Drumroll, please!) What if we could make the dinner itself, like a Vision Trip?! You see, Vision Trips are so transformative - you come away from them overflowing with hope and joy!!! What if we could bottle up that experience and give it to Child Ambassadors and their guests?? And with that thought, the details began to fall into place. As the host for the dinner, each Child Ambassador will act as a "guide" to the country and take their guests to "visit the field" by having guests read Story Cards aloud after dinner. (For example, a guest will read, "Your name is Seraphine. You are 28 years old. You have three children - Claudine, who is five years old; Vincent, who is four years old; and Jean Claude, your dear baby, who is just 7 months old. You moved to this area recently and you are a stranger here…") Each Story Card is the true story of a person we met in the field on a Vision Trip. And the best part ( and I think maybe one of my favorite parts) is that the Experience Global Dinners incorporate one of the things I read was most important about any experiential event - space for people to think and consider what they've learned. It happens like this: There are four story cards, with the most memorable stories we've heard on trips - the last one being the story of a child. After one of your guests reads the second-person story of a child ("You are Jean Marie…"), you, as the host, will loop the whole experience together by explaining that child sponsorship is the key to all of the transformation and hope that they've heard. You'll then give a very gentle, inspiring, but pressure-free invitation to sponsor a child and leave the room to go get dessert ready. Yep. Leaving the room at that point is the secret and a key to the evening. You see, they need space to think, consider, read picture folders, and pray. And you have a super valid reason to leave - dessert needs to be served. (Yay, dessert!) It also keeps the evening from feeling pressure-filled or awkward (thereby avoiding that worry we all have - that we'll be stuck standing there, staring at our guests with an intense, questioning gaze after asking them to sponsor a child. Cringe). When you come back into the room, you will ask them if they have any questions and then let them know that dessert is ready. Hurray! There will be a celebration of sponsorship with dessert and/or a celebration of friendship and the seeds that were planted through your effort and faithfulness in sharing! Either way, you will have made some fun memories with your guests, heard some inspiring stories, and learned a lot about whatever country you selected! Frequently Asked Questions How do I get order a kit? Go to volunteers.worldvision.org and click on the "supplies" tab. Scroll down to the bottom to the "materials" drop-down box and select a kit. You can choose from Cambodia, Nicaragua, or Rwanda. All three dinners are similar in format but the stories are different and unique to the countries and cultures of each. Please only order what you will use. If you have questions on the stories in each, let me know and I'd be happy to answer them! Also don't forget to order picture folders! The kits don't have picture folders so be sure to order those at least two weeks before your dinner. Also, did you know you can request picture folders from a particular country? For the dinners, try requesting picture folders from the country you've chosen for the dinner! Is this meant for a small group? You'll receive 12 invitations but you can make the group smaller or larger. The size of the group is up to you! Some Child Ambassadors are hoping to modify it to use it at their church and make the dinner a potluck, with guests bringing an ethnic dish to share! This seems like a really cool idea and I'm hoping to do that myself, once I get settled in from our cross-country move at the end of this month! Would I only invite those friends of mine who haven't already sponsored a child? This is a great question! I'd say invite a mix of both, if you like! People who already sponsor can share their stories of sponsorship which might encourage other guests to sponsor, too! Plus, current sponsors will be encouraged when they learn how FAR their sponsorship dollars go and might even consider sponsoring another child! Will guests arrive knowing what the dinner is about? The invitation was designed to look like a boarding pass and has the World Vision logo. It invites the guest to "Escape the Ordinary" and "experience the food, culture, and stories" of the country you choose. (You can choose Rwanda, Cambodia, or Nicaragua). So they'll know in advance that this is about World Vision but whether they sponsor or not, they'll enjoy an interesting and fun night! Do I have to follow the script? The script is only there as a guide to help you - you're free to personalize your experience to your guests. The only part I'd recommend following a little more closely is the part with the Story Cards that takes place after dinner. There is a script that you will read in between each card that will explain important context for the stories. This will lead into the invitation to sponsor. What if I don't like to cook? There's always takeout! You'll likely be able to find takeout from a restaurant that serves food from the region or consider turning it into a fun group effort and ask guests to bring a dish to share from that region, as well! What if my guests don't like ethnic food? You could serve just one ethnic item and keep the rest familiar if you or if your guests aren't adventurous eaters. Any other suggestions? The only other thing I'd suggest is mailing a thank you note to your guests following your dinner. It would be really sweet to thank them for taking an evening out to be part of your Experience Dinner, for sponsoring a child (if they did), and that you enjoyed having them! |
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