I received a beautiful letter this week. I must share it with you.

Dear Sheridan,

Congratulations on a great and inspiring program. Please may I suggest an interesting topic for you.

I am a volunteer children’s and youth worker and have been unable to work since 1988. Whilst helping young people at Bidwell High School, children used to throw 5cent coins near me. After several years of picking up coins I got to thinking, ‘Can’t I do something to help needy people with these?’ I believe God touched my heart to put the funds towards Christian Blind Mission—to help prevent blindness in people, especially children.

With the help of some people at the Tregeor Presbyterian Church in Mt Druit, I raised $114 in 5cent coins in almost three months. Tregeor Presbyterian, St Johns Anglican in Minchinbury, some community groups and neighbours have helped me. To this point in time I have now raised $4800, mostly in 5cent coins.

$4800 equates to the following: eye ointment to prevent Trachoma for 100 children and another 20 families, Vitamin C capsules for 181 children, 5 cataract operations and 163 eyelid operations—that’s 168 people with their sight saved alone.

In addition, in May 2003 my wife Bev and I began collecting aluminium cans and, later on, old car radiators and batteries. I walked the streets and went to sports events to go through bins. I had to stop a couple of years later due to pain and extreme tiredness. But, praise God, by the time I stopped, many neighbours, two businesses and a community group started collecting cans, radiators and batteries as well. To date $3725 has been raised and sent to Christian Blind Mission.

$3725 equates to Trachoma prevention for 114 children and 15 families, Vitamin A capsules (to prevent blindness), 8 cataract operations and 136 eyelid operations—that’s 144 people with their sight saved. This has come mainly from aluminium cans, but includes the 678 car batteries I have collected.

I have been unable to work since injuring my wrists in 1988. I have since developed ankle, knee and lower back problems as well as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. My wife and I teach Special Religious Education in six schools.

I would love to encourage individuals, groups, Sunday Schools, etc to collect 5cent coins, cans, batteries, or anything aluminium. Raise money for missionaries, outreach charities and so on.

Yours in the name of Jesus Christ alone,
Dave Vincent.

PS: I forgot to total the money raised--$8525. That’s 312 eyelid operations and 13 cataract operations, totalling 325 eyes saved.

You know, it’s easy to celebrate the big successes and triumphant victories of Christian heroes past and present. But as Oswald Chambers once said, ‘The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies, but its obedience.’ Here’s a man who’s battling illness, but doing what he can for God and others. Let’s call it the ‘5 cent principle’—giving the little you have to God so he can multiply it.

You think you can’t make a difference in this world? Think your little efforts don’t amount to much? Remember the 5 cent principle. Small, repeated acts of Christian obedience.