Today my kids and I went shopping. We filled our cart with crackers, peanut butter, peanuts, tuna, cookies, shampoo, deoderant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, socks and water bottles. Were these things for our own pantry shelves? No! We were filling bags to keep in the back of our van for those times we may run into a homeless person on the side of the road who may be holding up a sign that says, “will work for food.” When we come across one of these people, we can pull over and share a bag of goodies with them that will hopefully bless them. I also hope to get a little paper back Bible to put in the bags.
This idea goes along with our unit we’re doing right now, our World Tour. We are using A Child’s Geography by Ann Voskamp, and the first chapter talks about Earth as our home. We learned that the Earth is the shape of a sphere, we discussed how big the earth is, how many people live here, and how God created it.
At the end of each chapter in A Child’s Geography, there is a “Reaching Out” section, which is my favorite part of this book! On this Reaching Out section for chapter one, we learn about what it means to be homeless. We are encouraged to pray for the homeless and help in any way we can, to show the love of God to these people.
I don’t remember where I read this idea, so I can’t take credit for it, I might have even heard it on the radio a few years ago, but it is perfect for this chapter, so we’re doing it!
*If I can’t find small Bibles to put in, I may look for some tracks or print off some verses to put in that I come up with on my own.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:35-40