I remember going to a youth conference years ago in Baton Rouge, LA. The main speaker was Erwin McManus.  I had read a few of his books and liked him as an author, but never heard him speak to a live audience before.  I had my doubts he would be able to connect with High School students.  Wow, was I shocked when he had them  laughing, crying and motivated to change the world when the weekend was done!  The focus of his talks was DO SOMETHING.

One of our purposes as Christians is to do something with our faith.  I’m not proud of it, but I mostly have a hard heart towards homeless people and the poor.  I can easily turn off the TV when a charity is pleading to send money to starving kids in Africa.  I find it all too easy to turn my attention towards something else other than the poor, hungry and outcasts of the world.  But lately, God has begun to change my heart a bit.

God cares about those less fortunate than ourselves and challenges us to do something about it.  This month, we are giving our kids at church an opportunity to give money to Bite Bach, which is an outreach project of Compassion International. Bite Back provides mosquito nets to children in Africa in order to prevent malaria, which kills more kids in Africa in one year than the HIV virus.  We’re asking our kids to find ways to earn money and give to Bit Back. 

 You don’t have to look too far to find others who need your help.  Why not give preteens a chance to serve them a few times a year?  Isn’t that a function of the church?  Why shouldn’t preteens be a part of that?  When they’re given an opportunity serve others, preteens step up to the plate.  They want to make a difference in the world around them.  Let’s give them that chance!