Tangent, Ore., residents look forward to May Day when Central Valley Christian School children make their annual pilgrimage of love to their 400–500 neighbors. The outreach has been expanding for more than 10 years. Local nurseries donate potted plants and flower seed packets that say, “Come Grow with Us.”
Weeks before the event, students begin coloring cards to go with each bouquet. Then, the day before May Day, students gather to wrap flowers in cellophane and attach their cards with ribbons.
One student remarked that her favorite part was seeing the surprised look on people’s faces. Every year students encounter skepticism: “What are you selling?” “What do you want?” The reply is always the same, “We came to plant some seeds of kindness. Happy May Day.”
Erlinda Kosaka, who began the outreach, said, “I enjoy this outreach because it makes me happy to make so many others happy. Flowers are smiles from God.”
We receive many thank you cards in the mail. Annabelle, an 83-year-old neighbor, wrote, “Just the thought of you doing this is the special thing. It was so refreshing to see four little boys with smiling faces awaiting me at the door. It reminds me of my childhood—making baskets, filling them with flowers, hanging them on door knobs and running. Thanks for the memory.”
May Day is about planting seeds of kindness and creating memories for our students and those we visit. It’s about putting Christian love into action.
From left, Braiden Wallace, Kacie Fairchild, Kresta Wallace, Krintin Reiswig and friend get ready to take out cheerful flowers and fresh bread to their neighbors on May Day.
Dusty Lee, Sara Mills and Amanda Engle enjoy sharing seeds of kindness as they take flower arrangements in vases to local businesses on this outreach day.
