Everywhere we turn people are in need! It completely overwhelms me & saddens my heart to hear of story after story after story of those that are hurting… children without a mommy or daddy, families without food, the death of a child, sick loved ones, kids in foster care, those without jobs, struggling marriages, parents coping with the latest “diagnosis” for their child, etc. etc. etc. And these hurting people are not just on the other side of the world… they are our neighbors, they are our friends, they are those standing behind us at the grocery store, they are the ones driving beside us on the highway, they are you, & they are me!
While none of us can help each & every hurting soul in the world on our own (that’s why we need Jesus!!), we can be the hands & feet of Jesus by showing love through our actions! And while it may seem we are only putting Band-aids on a deep wound (I know it seems that way to me sometimes!), it’s amazing how God uses each love filled action to bring a smile to a child’s face and to bring hope to a family!
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech
but with actions and in truth.”
-1 John 3:18
That’s one reason we LOVE participating in “Operation Christmas Child”!! All it takes is 1 shoebox full of love & 1 letter sent with it, to touch the life of a child in need… to bring JOY, to bring HOPE!
What fun we had filling “shoeboxes” this year! {{I love how we can track the location of our shoeboxes online this year!! And we also enjoyed using the downloadable “All About Me” page that OCC provides… we’re hoping to hear back from at least one of the children that receive a shoebox from our family!}}
Here are a few other great family service project ideas, some we’ve had the opportunity to participate in, but most are on my “I’d really like to do this” list!!
**Give a gift through World Vision’s gift catalog!
**Collect shoes for “Shoes to Share”!
**Put together "NICU survival kits" for parents of babies in the NICU!
**Send pencils to “The Pencil Project”!
**Help provide beds to orphaned & abandoned children with “Sweet Sleep”!
**Provide a Baby care Kit for those in need!
**Have my children color pictures for “Color a Smile”!
**Take time to Cuddle Babies!
**Do a ministry project through “Kidz RAP”!
**Make & give away “Care Bags” to the homeless (Here’s a link of ideas to put in the packages!)!
**Donate toys or food to “Ronald McDonald house”!
**Collect used bikes to give to those in poverty with “Pedals for Progress”!
**Collect suitcases for foster kids through “Suitcases for Kids”!
**Sponsor a child through Compassion International!
**Work with “Feed My Starving Children” to package food for starving children! {{See if one of their “Mobile Events” is taking place in your area!}}
{{Please note that while I LOVE each of these ideas, I have not searched out the doctrinal statements of every organization above! :)}}
Do you have any other family service project ideas to add to the list??
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11 comments:
Thank you for these great ideas! I am excited to pick out one to try with my family. :D
You can add to the list to give towards adoption ministries, where children have grants and are waiting to be adopted. Because money should never be the reason why a child does not have a forever home ;)
@Ellen--thanks for adding adoption ministries! Great idea!
Jessica--I love your heart! And the ideas too!
We will be getting our shoeboxes ready too! What a neat way for our kids to reach out to share with others.
Thank you so much for listing these! My husband and I really want to show our children how to serve others and all of these are great ways to do it! We'll definitely be picking one (or more) of these to bless others.
Thank you for this list! I have never heard of over half of these organizartions and am now excited to learn more about them!!
Thank you so much for listing all the wonderful ways families can work together to give back. This is something that our family hasn't been doing much of {I hate to admit} but it has been on my heart lately. I'm adding this list to my Pinterest boards!
Ellen- I'm so glad that you added in adopting ministries/families! My heart is with you (& I've so enjoyed reading your precious story!!)! You've got me thinking that we could make it a bit more "hands on" by having our family do a bake sale, garage sale, lemonade stand, raking leaves for a neighbor, etc. & donate the money that we raised... or, helping an adopting family make items that they are selling! :) That would be fun & would go towards a wonderful cause!!
Jessica
Jessica, I was just telling my 3 year old this morning that I am planning for us to do OCC this year for the first time. She was SO excited! Thank you for sharing all of the other wonderful links. :)
Would you please pray for me? Thanks.
Dear Anonymous- I am praying for you right now!!! Please feel free to e-mail me at ourfamilyforhisglory {@} gmail.com
Jessica
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