1. Involving Youth in Service
2. Service-Orientated Programming
3. Random Acts of Kindness
1. Involving Youth in Service
Service projects should be used to develop in youth the servant attitude found in Christ. They should explore the concept of service and engage in practical acts of service. If a group decides to embark on service-orientated programming it would be wise to prepare youth with input on servanthood and then expose them over a few programmes to different service opportunities. This is to give them a taste of service and challenge them about how they should respond as Christians. After a term of service projects it is time to sit down with the group and decide on an extended service project that the group could handle. One example is to present a monthly programme in a children's home. This will show youth the more committed and disciplined aspect of serving that goes beyond the first terms approach. In fact, the first term activities probably do more for the members of the group that the people being served as it changes attitudes and challenges youth to further action.
2. Service-Orientated Programming
Base a base a series of programmes on Matthew 25:34-38. Have an introduction programme to motivate youth to a life of service; and then separate events on the following: (a) visit the sick - a visit to a hospital to give flowers and a card to people without visitors; (b) feed the hungry - an introduction to poverty and hunger and going out to feed street people; (c) comfort the lonely - a challenge to care for the elderly with a visit to the homes of some elderly folk; (d) clothe the naked - the group gathers, sorts and donates clothing to the needy; (e) visit the prisoner - take physically handicapped people out for an evening; and (f) welcome the stranger - an evening where strangers are invited to a banquet. The following complete programme is presented as an example:
A. Introduction
"Tonight we are going to experience something of what it is like for a poor person (maybe a beggar or a street person) to have to survive for a whole day on food they have bought with money they have received. We are going to a shop down the road where you have R3.00 each to buy food that will last a whole day. The food that you buy will be used later this evening. You are not to eat what you buy." During this part of the programme, youth were amazed at how expensive food is, and some of them clubbed together to ensure wise and adequate provision.
B. Reflection
The group reflected on whether it was difficult to think of what food to buy and whether they were concerned about where their next meal would come from?
C. Input
During this phase each person was handed a verse of Scripture that related to caring for the poor: Exodus 23:11; Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 14:31; Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 21:13; Proverbs 28:27; Luke 6:20; 1 Timothy 6:18; Hebrews 13:15; 1 John 3:17; 2 Corinthians 9:9. They each gave a twenty second talk on what their verse had communicated to them.
D. Application
Youth were challenged to consider what they were going to do in response to what they had read. The decision was made (guided by the leader) to go out and give the food to a group of needy street people. Youth were briefed about the community of street people who live within walking distance from the youth centre (the leader had visited the community and received permission to bring the youth across). They were encouraged to ask question of the people during the visit: How long have you being living here? How do you survive? Do you have a job? Do you have family? parents? children? Where do you hope to be in a years time?
E. Reflection
This was a moving experience, judging by the responses of youth on returning. When asked what they had learnt from the experience comments were made about how fortunate they had felt as they realised that people could live with so little. A desire was expressed to help the street community in a more consistent way. The leaders wondered if Friday night was the best time to have done the visit as many of the people had been drinking. However, the group realised on reflection that drink is a part of their lifestyle as a way of coping with the harsh realities of life without adequate shelter or food.
3. Random Acts of Kindness
Random Acts of Kindness involves loading the kids up or hitting the street to look for quick opportunities to do "random acts of kindness." We call them Willful Acts of Kindness. When you do one, you give the recipient a card that says (in our case) "You've been WAcKed by the such and such youth group. Please pass on the kindness." We include a Bible verse to indicate why we do it. The kids, the church, the adults and the recipients absolutely love it. We've done it three times now. We do something like a cookout with a short program afterwards and make an afternoon of it. We have some brownies baked or fruit baskets ready to fill in for times when random acts are being sought.
Months after the last time we went out, people still mention how it blessed them. And this is a key point. We always pray before we leave: "God lead us to someone who could particularly use an act of kindness today." A few weeks ago a woman stopped me in the store and said when the kids carried her groceries for her, it was on a day she particularly needed to know someone cared. That was three months after the event. I get goose pimples thinking about how God uses us... The original post has ideas and more details if anyone wants it. As for who the event is targeted, we take 30 to 60 kids out; some are dedicated Christians, some are first-timers.
I'd like to share a story that involves Random Acts of Kindness, since God seems to keep blessing this idea. You may remember--the idea is to take the kids out in vans and look for random ways to be kind in brief--wash a car, hang up a guy's clothes, carry some groceries. A few weeks ago, a press repairman/consultant came up to our town to help us at our printing plant (I'm a newspaper printer.) We went out to eat for lunch, and I assumed from his repeated references to a Saturday night Bible Study, he was a Christian. After the meal, I bought him a peppermint. Big deal. The next day, when he returned for more work from his town (which is two hours away), he delivered a bag of Bob's Pure Sugar Mint Twist Balls. Said he and his wife are particulary fond of this brand, that he had told her about my love of peppermints, and that his wife sent some. Well, that weekend, I started giving out peppermints. I was thinking, I'll just pass on the kindness like you're supposed to during Random Acts of Kindness events. I gave out mints to kids whenever I saw them -- church, school, their homes, the playground. I even made a special trip back to the office for more so that I would be reloaded when I saw this one particular kid who was excluded because I ran out at church. Three days after the press-guy left the candy, he was killed in a wreck. It occurred to me, the candy may well have been his last Random Act of Kindness. So, that following Monday morning, when our kids met at church before school for stale doughnuts and prayer, I gave them each two peppermints and told them story of the press guy's last act of kindness. I told them you never know how God is going to use something so insignificant as the gift of a piece of candy. But I suggested they eat one and pass the other on to someone so the Acts of Kindness continue. And that they do it out of their love for Jesus. The scripture we used that morning on the cards we handed out (they write their names on the back of the cards, place them in a basket, and draw from the basket later so they each have a name to pray for the coming week) was Matthew 10:42: "This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing." (The Message). I wrote the press guy's wife and told her how her husband's and her Act of Kindness was being spread. Last week, I got a letter from someone else in the Bible Study saying the whole episode was touching them as well. Enclosed was a box of 160 Bob' peppermints. Submitted by Ken on the Youth Specialties youth ministry forum.
Another email gave further details on the random acts of kindness ministry:
We do this once a quarter and it is really really simple, very adaptable to your environment and budget, and gets your kids real involved. The premise is this...Your goal is to go out into your community and simply spread quick, random, unprovoked shots of God's love to unsuspecting victims. What we do is type up a little card that says basically ---- "Congratulations. You have been hit by a random act of kindness by the Oak Grove Youth Group. We hope that our encounter has made you day a little brighter and has painted a smile across your face. Please feel free to pass this kindness on to someone else. Your pals, The Oak Grove Youth Group.... Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another..." ---- Then we load up a van or two full of kids, stick big signs on the van that say "Random Act of Kindness Patrol," and head out into the city to do kind stuff for people. Every time you do something nice, you smile say "Have a great day," give them a card, and run off. A couple of stipulations are these....
* You cannot take anything in return. To take a payment or return gift would defeat the whole point of grace and giving. The important reward for your kids to get is the inner feeling that they have done something right today and to be able to find reward in someone's smile and shocked response to a random act of kindness.
* You must tell people who you are and what you are doing. People today are very skeptical of anything free or of "religous freaks." Prepare your kids that some responses will be negative and some people will quickly reject them. Use this as a forum for discussion on the state of today's world and people's pessimism and how much the world needs more gracious acts.
* Be sure to work a program on giving or grace into the day both before and after. Especially after.... this will be a great time for kids to share how it felt to give and their experiences. Also, you can make the point that every day can be a "random act of kindness" day if you make it that.
As far as "random acts" go, the following is a list of some of the stuff we have done.... Feel free to make up some more or adapt them to wherever you are. As a rule, the more random the better.... (kids love that!!!)
* During a hot Saturday in summer, grab a cooler full of canned soft drinks and drive through neighborhoods in you area, find people working in the yard, stop, and have kids jump out and run give them a card and a drink. People love this....
* Bake brownies or cookies and take them to local fire stations or police departments. Our kids got to slide down the pole at the firehouse (a real memory maker!!!)
* Buy a bunch of balloons and hand them out in front of the grocery store to little kids.
* Go to a self-wash car wash place and offer to wash people's cars (or at least pay for them).
* Go to the grocery store and randomly pick someone in the Express Lane and buy their groceries (make sure they only have a few items though.... and make sure it it isn't beer or something....)
* Hand out drinks at a local construction site to workers.
* Take flowers to nursing home or shut-ins. Find a contact at the home and they will point you to some people that could really use some cheering up.
* If you have toll roads, drive through the booth and pay for the next five cars behind you. Make sure you leave cards with the booth attendant to give to them.
* "Power rake" someone's yard or driveway (give every kid a rake and a trash bag... you can knock out a yard in twenty minutes)
* Have kids stand at the mall and simply compliment people as they walk by... (make sure that they are sincere and don't scare people)
* In winter, set up a "free hot chocolate stand" at the mall or grocery store on a busy day... (check with the manager first)
* Go to the grocery store and carry people's bags to the car (remember... no tips!!!)
* Go to the airport and stand at the baggage claim and simply welcome people to your city or help them find their way if your airport is big. (Careful that people don't think that you are fanatics or something.... check with the airport too... Security is real tight these days)
* Drive through a big apartment complex on a Saturday and find someone that is moving out or in. Offer to increase their workforce by thirty or so people and help them carry their stuff. (Make sure that your kids can do this without getting hurt or breaking stuff)
* Grab some Windex and paper towels and go a local store or strip mall ask if you can wash their windows for free.
* Go plant a tree or flower bulbs in someone's yard (with their permission of course) The list can go on and on.... Remember... the whole point is to get your kids to understand what it means to give without expecting anything in return (just like Jesus did for us....).
Posted by Billy Phoenix to the Youth Specialties youth ministry forum.
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