A banana, a live chicken and a bottle of Coca-Cola. What do they have in common?

Answer: Lots for a fund-raising auction.

Yes, the following is a true story, told to me by Ray Peng when recently in Bahrain on the goodwill ship MV Doulos. In October 2005, the Doulos visited Madagascar. One Sunday, a team from the ship attended a church service, attended by about 100 people. Later, an auction was held, the proceeds from which went into a fund for the church’s youth activities.  People had donated small bags of fruit and vegetables from their farms or gardens as auction Lots, including a live chicken and a bottle of Coca-Cola.  Doulos Chief Engineer Harald Smit, not to be out-done, submitted his Lot: a tour of the ship.  A local customs official was the highest bidder, paying the equivalent of half a month’s salary for the average person present.  The pastor excitedly enthused to the Doulos team: “you just doubled the youth budget for the year!”

Angela Murray