Mission Arlington’s Heritage Congregation helps give out school supplies.

This year, Mission Arlington^® has already given school supplies to over 7,000 children already, and there are more to come. This doesn’t come together overnight. Many different groups of people work most of the summer to make sure the children go to school with pens, pencils, and everything they need for a successful year.

Early in the summer, the Mission Arlington^® missionaries start gathering names and grades of the children in the communities where they minister. This involves much walking, door knocking, and meeting new families in the process.

At the same time, donors from all over the community gather supplies to give to Mission Arlington^®. Community centers, churches, and businesses set up boxes as drop-off points. Some give financially, and a small group of volunteers goes to purchase supplies. Everyone watches out for the best sales to get the most from each donated dollar.

As the donations come in, different volunteers groups organize and group everything according to the lists supplied by the school district. They spend many hours filling paper bags given by grocery stores with what each grade needs.

When enough bags are ready, the Mission Arlington^® missionaries come in to pick-up their orders. All others in the community who don’t live near a Bible Study site also come into the office to get what they need for their children.

This year, one Bible Study leader found himself alone delivering many sets of supplies to a central Arlington area. He needed some help, so he asked his Mission Arlington^® Bible Study family to come help. On a Wednesday night, thirty people from that church went to deliver supplies. As they knocked on each door, they gave the bags of supplies, asked how they could pray for the families inside, and invited them to join them for Sunday church. They had just studied what it means to serve God, and this was the perfect opportunity to put it in action.

How great to see a church that began in a small apartment community years ago reaching out to help another apartment community. And all of this was possible because God prompted donors to give and volunteers to serve throughout the summer.

Please pray for the children; school begins in a few days. We want every child to have what they need physically and spiritually as they head back to the classroom.