We’ve all seen them. People on street corners and busy intersections, holding up signs asking for food or work – or maybe both. People who look a little bit lost and confused.
People who need some help.
Our kids first noticed them several years ago. They wanted to help, but we weren’t sure how to do that – and then we stumbled across this idea (I’d share where it came from, but I have no idea anymore – it was a long time ago!)
Now we make blessing bags several times each year to keep in our car. We hand them out whenever we see someone who might need some help, and they’ve always been well received.
This time we made them at church and invited people at large to come and help. We turned on some music and had a missions party!
We collected donations of small toiletry items, like soaps, shampoos, deodorants, toothpaste, dental floss, chapstick, etc, as well as socks, washcloths, and non-perishable snacks, like granola bars, snack crackers, etc. Then we organized each item in piles on a long row of tables.
We put zip-top bags at the head of the table, and each one of us grabbed a bag and then walked – or danced – the length of the table, putting one item from each pile in the bag.
We took our bag over to the next table, where we laid out small sheets of colorful paper and markers. We drew pictures and wrote encouraging notes and tucked one into each bag. The bags moved on to a third table, while we went back to the beginning and started all over.
When we had used all of the supplies and filled as many bags as we could, we stopped for a cupcake break. What’s a party without cupcakes?
All told, the kids made about 55 bags in under an hour. They’re now residing in our vehicles, ready to find homes with people who need them.
What’s one thing you can do to help someone in need this winter?
I love this idea! What a great way to teach our kids compassion. 🙂