An auction of slaves was recently held at Lutheran Academy in Martin (LA) as part of the Easter social project. If you’d like to know more about this strange—but wonderful—experience, keep reading!
High School students at LA decided on their own that they wanted to help abused mothers and children from the non-profit organization, Briezdenie. They chose a most nonstandard way, deciding to auction themselves and their services off to the highest bidder, with the proceeds of the auction going to help victims of domestic violence.
Lutheran Academy believes that having students involved in social projects is an important way to improve awareness of the difficult and seemingly hopeless situations faced by the needy. Therefore LA students are involved in major social projects twice a year. The whole school participates in many different activities during these projects, because “the involvement of each class and each student contributes to the growth of students’ social perceptions and encourages their willingness to help the poor and needy,” explains school director Josef Sopoliga.
Student Andy Snovakova explains how the ‘slave auction’ worked: “Each of us high school students became a slave to his temporary owner for a few hours. The auction was run in the ordinary way—the Slave offered his or her services and declared a starting price, for which they were will to perform the service. The ‘buyer’ who gave the most money, got the slave!”
The services the slaves offered were very different. You could buy a back massage, mowing of your lawn, or help with baking a cake. Vacuuming, child care, and delivery of purchases were also among the services offered. Students could purchase slaves, as well as be a slave. Students bought slaves to help with homework (!), tutor, or prepare snacks throughout the week. “We were trying to do as much as possible for the abused mothers and children,” says student Veronika Sugarova, and adds that, in addition to “slaving,” which raised a good amount of money, “we students collected bed linens, non-perishable foods, towels, dishes and cleaning products.”
Student’s willingness to serve is often a valuable example for adults. A pleasant side-effect of students’ involvement in social projects is the increasingly positive feedback received from parents. Parents are also becoming involved in the projects, and the numbers increase every year.
Some of the ways students and their families have served in the past has been helping children in Ukraine, collecting money for a new building at the Education Institute in Afghanistan, helping children and young people living with HIV in Uganda, and immigrants from Somalia.
As we work together to help others, we truly become “one body”– and it happens through Christ, with Christ and in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:17-19).
Appendix—food for thought
A rare figure of the modern Christian age was Lutheran pastor and martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In his writings, Bonhoeffer challenged readers to personal courage in fighting evil in the world, as well as responsibility and dedication in assisting those in need. He encouraged believers to be serious about taking responsibility for the things we are given (Gen. 1:28).
Our view also comes from Jesus Himself, who went beyond the norm in helping the needy. He set aside the prevailing view of Sabbath worship to perform a miracle of healing (Luke 6:6-11). He came physically close to the sick, also despite the rule of the day (Lk. 5:12-16); He criticized the proud but praised the humble (Lk. 18:14); He encouraged giving (Lk. 21:1-4), and He condemned those who took advantage of the poor (Lk. 20:46-47). Not only do we have the exhortation of D. Bonhoeffer, who preached about the “need to take responsibility in shaping history,” but we have the example of the Lord Jesus Himself.
Our responsibility has its source in Christ, the Lord.
