Rice bags, loose change, and the Great Commission
India (MNN) ― Many Christians in India are so poor that they are forced to spend most of their money on food. Despite their poverty, they have found a way to give generously to the Lord.
Lindsay Ackerman is with Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India. She explains, “Christians will take a small scoop of rice during every meal, and they’ll set that aside as their giving, and then they’ll take that to the church.” When the rice bag is full, it is taken to the church as the family’s tithe.
Ackerman says their team thought the concept was an easily-adaptable one to teach not only tithing, but also missional thinking. “We’ve taken that concept of a rice bag and made a smaller version of that. A family can put their small offerings, their coins or dollar bills into that, and then that can be used for supporting missions in India,” specifically the Children’s Bible Clubs.
Children’s Bible Clubs are introduced in a community through a 10-day program. In the clubs, children enjoy songs, skits, and games, listen to Bible stories, memorize Scripture, learn how to pray, and most importantly, discover a loving Savior.
Many children in Children’s Bible Clubs make a decision to follow Jesus. Often, these children introduce their parents to Christ. Every year, new churches grow out of Children’s Bible Clubs.
For four weeks, children are encouraged to find creative ways to earn money and to put the extra coins laying around aside into the Rice Bags for the Clubs in India. It’s enough time for the children to be able to fill the Rice Bag one or two times. “When they’re supporting Children’s Bible Clubs, it only costs $1 to reach a boy or a girl. So four quarters that go into that bag reaches a kid in India. It’s something that’s easy for a kid to grasp.”
Mission India provides a small, informative insert with each Rice Bag to help explain the challenge to parents. The excitement is contagious. Ackerman says, “It’s an amazing way not only for the kids in India to be transformed, but our kids here in the U.S. get transformed, as well. They discover an area of the world that they may not know much about at all, and they get really excited about it. They know that they can serve the Lord right now; they’re almost missionaries themselves.”
(Source: Mission Network News)
