August 2018 Mission Service Activity
School Kits for Youth in Mexico
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them (Mark 10:14–16).
As our summer is soon coming to an end we need to start thinking about our children, grand-children and great-grand-children returning back to school. In this month’s Mission Servant Activity we will look at ways that we can help those families who may be struggling to make ends meet and how we can help support their children as they return to school.
Education in Mexico is only free through the sixth grade, and if a child or family desires to continue their education, there are tuition payments to make. Often, these children are needed to enter the job market in order to help the family earn money, or because there is no money to pay for middle school, high school, and college.
Ysleta Lutheran Mission wants children and teens to escape the cycle of poverty, crime, and violence that is ravaging the communities they serve in Juarez and Anapra in Mexico. A “Stay in School” scholarship is available to youth in Mexico who demonstrate academic potential and great economic hardship. This year, Ysleta Lutheran Mission (YLM) will be distributing school kits (backpacks or bags filled with assorted school supplies) on August twentieth and in mid-December.
Ideas to help YLM and children as they return to school:
- Have an ingathering at your church and collect school supplies and backpacks.
- Apply for Thrivent Action Team money to help with your collection of items.
- Serve a meal to help raise funds but collect a free-will offering instead of setting a price. Encourage attendees to donate school supplies and backpacks.
- At your Sunday service take a special offering for YLM school supplies and backpacks or have your Sunday school offering go to support YLM.
Other ways to help:
- Collect gently-worn or outgrown clothing for YLM. Engage, children, grand-children and great-grand-children by having them help clean out their closets.
- Hold a sneaker drive and see how many pairs of shoes you can collect.
- Collect new underwear and designate an “Undies Sunday” to pray for the children who will receive the underwear.
Other Resources:
- Orphan Grain Train School Kits and gently used or new clothing
- Lutheran World Relief School Kits
- Lutheran Border Concerns Ministry School Kits
- Give locally to ‘back to school’ efforts in your town, church, zone, or district.
Sharing Your Servant Activities:
Border Mission Gifts
Orphan Grain Train Headliner on May 31, 2018 stated that recently the Mitchell Zone, South Dakota District LWML had a spring workshop supporting OGT. They had Gifts from the Heart gathering which included putting together 130 school kits with backpacks for OGT to deliver to Ysleta Mission in El Paso, Texas. Some ladies from Armour Redeemer Lutheran Church in South Dakota brought the backpacks to OGT and then had a tour and volunteered for a few hours in the warehouse.
The Gospel Outreach Committee would love to hear about, and share, your mission service activities! Please contact the Vice President of Gospel Outreach here. Thank you!
