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A family is waiting in the rain at 5.30 in the morning. If you look a bit further up the road you might well wonder where this mum, dad and their two smartly dressed little boys are speeding to so early in the morning. The youngest, in his crisp white shirt, even seems to be in his Sunday best. Meanwhile crowds are converging from all corners of the island with enthusiasm and excitement to see what kind of bargains they can uncover today. They are hoping to find treasures; maybe kit out the whole family, soak up the atmosphere, relax, eat and drink and, of course, have a good time.
Above all, the flea market is a fun day out for the entire family, because, as well as the usual toy stands, the organisation team of the MAP (Marche Aux Puces) endeavours to provide fun for old and young , parents and children, alike. The Flea Market also represents the Lord's heart for the family. There is no event on this island where, for a mere Rs.10, you are allowed so many fun activities; where everyone is guaranteed a good time. For instance, in one day there will be 20 raffles drawn for overflowing grocery baskets; the 21 stands cater to everyone's tastes – toy stands, face painting, fast-foods, sweet counters; and there is something within everyone's budget.
This Flea Market of Eglise Chrétienne is a unique event. It is the only one of its kind in the whole country as the concept of flea markets has not really taken off in Mauritius . It all began with a few sisters who wanted to bless the church by holding the first garage sale. From there, the ideas grew as the vision of those in charge developed. To date, this event involves 300 volunteers from all the CTMI Partner Churches around the island – 9 months of preparation, 21 different stands, 90 kitchen staff – of course, at the end of the day, all the takings go to the mission work of CTMI in Africa and India.
The reason why this 5 th event has been so outstanding is that the Lord has blessed it with extraordinary gifts. Groups of brothers and sisters criss-crossed the island for donations; they called on their neighbours, solicited donations from companies, approached shops, hotels and restaurants. They covered just about every known area of business on the island. Last minute gifts were even more welcome and definitely not turned away as was the case for the stacks of beautiful towels received the night before the event at 9 o'clock. The heart of those who organised and supervised the event was in itself part of the gifts as, despite long hours, tiredness, and stress, they gave every bit of themselves so that everything would go smoothly on the day. In 2004 the flea market attracted 1,500 visitors and in 2005 it had 2,500 therefore, how far the numbers rise in 2006 is anyone's guess.
The Flea Market even boasts its regulars now. Micheline, from Bois Cheri, can easily be spotted in the crowd from the massive amounts of shopping around her which would make any supermarket sit up and take notice; in fact she will probably need a pick-up to carry all her shopping home. Today she has been able to fit out her whole family and, of course, she intends coming back next year; she has not missed one flea market so far. Her purchases include a leather bag bought for Rs50, a pair of children's shoes for Rs10, a pair of men's trousers for Rs5, a shirt for Rs5; not including her 8 bulging shopping bags around her. Mrs Francois is another faithful client who circles the MAP date on her calendar every year and is one of the first to arrive at 6.15 am every single time. She has a reputation for rooting out very good bargains.
From 5am, what meets the eye is the wonderful picture of 300 brothers and sisters hustling and bustling in the wings to prepare this event and make of it a special day for everyone. As one of the team puts it: “ Most of us won't actually get to Africa to see what is done with the results of this event for ourselves – the fruit of the gospel preached in the mission field – but nonetheless, we give our all to make this day a great success because the work that the Lord is doing in our lives is enough to motivate us to do this in order that others in Africa and elsewhere can come to know the same thing! ” Tribute needs to be paid to this team. We may well try to find the reason for the success of this incomparable event – an exceptional management team, the numerous volunteers, the extraordinary donations? In fact, it is only the Lord who could possibly have provided all these blessings, making the event fruitful enough to raise funds for the mission work.
The toy stand has a few items remaining, the men's section, the first to close, has been uncommonly successful; the home decorations, games and accessories sections are empty. The volunteers have worked non-stop… At the end of a long day, things are looking pretty good. The organisers, Gérard, Brigitte, Gilbert, Marie France, Jinny, and Carole are exhausted, but satisfied, as they close up shop until next year's Flea Market.
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