Top Ten Reasons for Involving Your Children in . . .

A few days ago I wrote about my, "Top Ten Reasons for Involving Your Children in Christmas for an Orphan" . . . I, and my grandchildren, have sent boxes to Christmas for an Orphan for several years, but apparently, WorldHope is no longer continuing their Christmas for an Orphan program.

While I'm sad to hear this, there are some excellent other opportunities for you to involve the children in your ministry in serving others by giving at Christmastime. Consider the following options . . .

• Of course, I can not say how much I LOVE WorldHelp's Catalog . . . especially the option of giving bunnies to families in need. The best things about giving bunnies are . . . first of all, bunnies are inexpensive - just $20 provides two bunnies!  This is an amount children can earn through chores, special projects (make and sell cookies, ornaments, car washes, etc.) Secondly, bunnies grow and reproduce quickly. A pair of bunnies will not be just two bunnies for long . . . meaning families in need do not have to wait long for more bunnies they can trade or sell for things they need, eat, use the fur to make clothes or things to sell, and even the output provides fertilizer families can use on their garden at home or sell. Small cost with many possible ways to help a family, quickly!
• Orphan World Relief - this is a ministry I had not heard of before, but I love their focus upon helping orphans and children in foster care. Their, "My Comfy Kits" project is one children could raise money for to help children in need around the world - especially at Christmas.
• The Orphan Gift Bank from the Boaz Project is another opportunity you could use with the children and families in your church. With this project you could send a special bank home with each child/family. At the end of a designated time, have them return their banks and send the money to the Boaz Project. They will be sure a child in one of their projects - in Russian, India or Kenya, receives a gift at Christmas (or for their birthday).
• Especially with the news from the past few days of Hurricane Matthew and the devestation in Haiti, I'm personally very interested in Hope for Haiti's Children - Christmas Joy Boxes. This is a "shoebox" Christmas gift opportunity where you and the children in your ministry could pack the boxes with age appropriate items and send them to be distributed to needy children in Haiti . . . and the number of children in need has probably grown significantly in recent days. While the other projects are about raising money to send for specific projects, this is a pack-a-box project.

So, take my "Top Ten Reasons for Involving Your Children in . . ." list and put one of these projects in the open space! Get them praying, get them involved and get them praying!