A Little Lemonade and a Lot of Heart
A 6-Year-Old Entrepreneur Impacted The Whole Town
How about some good news for a change?
A few weeks ago, right here in my neighborhood in Longwood, Florida, a young 6-year-old girl named Jayana decided to set up a lemonade stand. With the help of her mom and brother, she got a table, an umbrella for shade, and three large canisters of lemonade: strawberry, blueberry, and classic plain.
I drove past her stand but didn’t have any cash on me. So, I turned around, went home to grab some, and returned for some refreshing lemonade. Her price? Just a free-will donation. I gave her $5, happy to support a little entrepreneur on a hot day.
Fast forward to about a week later. Someone in the neighborhood apparently felt that Jayana’s lemonade stand was a public menace and decided to call the police. Yes, you read that right—a kid selling lemonade “without a permit” and supposedly causing a traffic jam.
So, three Longwood police officers showed up. Now, here’s where the story gets good. Instead of citing her or shutting down the stand, they did what any freedom-loving American would do—they bought lemonade! The officers snapped a picture with Jayana and posted it on their department’s Facebook page.
That’s when things really took off. Comments started pouring in from the community, praising the police for doing the right thing and Jayana for being such a great example of entrepreneurial spirit. Her little lemonade stand suddenly became a symbol of positivity and goodwill in the community.
Soon after, the local news picked up the story. Jayana and the three officers were featured in a heartwarming segment, which then sparked even more attention. People all over the greater Orlando area began hearing about Jayana’s lemonade stand, and many were eager to find her and support her small business.
Watching all of this unfold from the sidelines, I got a call at the church from Jayana’s dad, Jorge. He explained that with the influx of new customers expected over the weekend, they needed a bigger space. He asked if Jayana could set up her lemonade stand on our church property to handle the extra traffic.
“Absolutely!” I told him. What an incredible opportunity!
So, this past weekend, our little church played a dual role. We held our regular worship service AND helped keep the dream of a young entrepreneur alive. And the best part? Jayana isn’t just any random kid—she’s a part of our church! She’s a regular in our children’s ministry and an absolute delight to have in class. Talk about a proud pastor moment!
But the story doesn’t end there. In a move that would soften even the hardest heart, Jayana gave 10% of her earnings to the church as a thank-you. If you could have seen the look on her face when she dropped that money into the offering box—it was pure joy.
In times like these, when the world feels more divided than ever, leave it to a 6-year-old girl to remind us of what really matters. A simple act of selling lemonade brought a community together, showcased the kindness of our local police, and highlighted the values of self-reliance and generosity being passed down to the next generation.
And thank God for these little moments that remind us, even in a world full of chaos, there’s still plenty of good to be found.