As you know, if you’ve been reading, for quite some time, I’ve occasionally been running little installments called “Mama’s K.I.S.S.” I know that lots of readers could give many more and far more creative ideas than I can offer, but these installments are just a few tried and true and mostly old-fashioned ideas for putting service hearts in our kids. This is number 88 of a list of one hundred ways we train our kids to serve. K.I.S.S. is an acronym for “Kids In Service Suggestions”.
Whenever it’s back-to-school time, it’s time to get your teens organizing the drive to collect backpacks, pencils, notebooks, scissors, glue and all the things, for children in your community who may need a little help getting ready for school. Be sure your kids ask your elders to consider buying a case of the new affordable AP Study Bibles (https://store.apologeticspress.org) , so the most important thing can go in the backpacks you plan to give away. Include info about your local congregation, too, along with the info about your next event for kids or families. Maybe even include a happy t-shirt with your church’s name, especially if your community is not a school uniform community. This is great advertisement!
Make sure the teens are the ones who are busy; putting together the supply lists, posting on bulletin boards and in the announcement sheet. Help the teens get the word out to the community and/or identify the families that may need help each August. Help them set up collection tables and purchase whatever is not collected. They need to be the ones who assemble the backpacks and meet the folks who show up to receive them. Be sure to advertise heavily in your community.
If you are just doing this with your own family, choose one or two families that may benefit from the backpacks, but may also be potential Christians and be sure to follow up with invitations to study the Word. In fact, follow up with every family that receives a backpack.