Jumble Sale

The Jumble Sale was organized by Calvary Life Assembly (CLA) Melaka at Mahkota Parade to raise fund for the Calvary Care Home. We had been collecting new or used but salable items during several weeks preceding the annual event. This was the first year I participated in the contribution of items as well as the duties at the stall.

Initially I was asked to help blow and twist long balloons into various shapes on the first day. When I arrived at the mall, I was told that the balloons were left in the church. So I ended up helping other team members to set up the stall and sell the items. The sale was excellent for we were being placed at a very strategic location and since it was the launching day, a lot of staff in the mall seized the opportunity to grab most of the best items at a low price.

A pleasant surprise to me was that my secondary school friend HT, who was pregnant with her first child and was shopping with her husband and parents, was able to recognize my voice from my back. I had completely lost contact with her for years after her marriage. Even though I was told by another friend that HT was also working and living in Melaka, we had not even met once. What a blessing!

The following Thursday, I joined in Ps Albert's team which included his nephew Gideon and his two children. There were also other helpers and volunteers on duty.

Sarah would like to extend her stay at my place but as I had promised her father to send her back on the fourth day, we both left for Mahkota Parade in the morning with all her luggage.

This time our stall had been shifted to a slot between a fashion stall and an accessory stall. The transfer was the result of complaints by the nearby shop of our initial location. Hence we were less noticeable. That definitely affected our sale. Nonetheless, our spirit to help the care home was untouched. I was glad to befriend Wilson who was in charge of the balloons. This young boy was such a sociable person that within a few days he had made friends with several workers of other stalls in the mall.

Some of our church members purposely came to give moral and financial supports. We truly appreciated that. By the end of the day, Ps Albert was the customer who spent most as he had taken out his own money to buy a lot of glassware and decorative items.

I stayed until the last shift, tired but satisfied with my day. It was an interesting experience to participate in the jumble sale. Next year you will see me again at Mahkota Parade busy with the lelong!