BackPack Update

Thalia Lynn, our former church in Va Beach, ended up collecting 55 bookbags along with supplies. Monday we got back from visiting there wondering 'what in the world are we going to do with 101 bookbags??!!! We're going to have to hunt down people to give them to.'

Wednesday night was the first night of the county fair. I'd delivered 2 bookbags to a family that we'd had contact with earlier, and had 3 bags in the car when i got home. i brought them into the living room, and when Leslie and the kids and her parents got ready to head out to the fair (I had a meeting to go to... i'd be joining them later) i sort of offhandedly asked "why don't we throw them in the back of the van, and if you happen to run into anyone at the fair who might need one, let them have it."

shortly after the meeting started, Leslie called and left a voicemail on my cellphone: "bring as many as you can fit in the back of the escort - i've already met 2 families, and there are LOTS of people here who need them!"

So i loaded up the car, and took them over, went through them, came back to the house and loaded up a few more, took them back, and got rid of several of those as well. Ended up giving out 29 bookbags loaded with supplies that night. Yesterday I delivered another twenty, this afternoon another 19 at one place, 4 at another, and 7 at another. Here and there we've run into a family who only needs one or two.

Long story short, we've handed out about 90 of those book bags. One of the local associational pastors, Steve Taylor, came by this morning with the offering that the kids had collected a couple of weeks ago during their vacation bible school, and designated it for the Hispanic Ministry of the Rappahannock Baptist Association. $188.53. Leslie went out with her mom while i was delivering the backpacks and bought out the local rite-aid's supply of 35 backpacks. We've got supplies to go in them, but will need more before it is out.

sheesh.

Leslie asked me as we were unloading the car in Va Beach Sunday night (the bags can get pretty heavy after the 7th or 8th trip) "whose idea was it to ask churches to donate school supplies??!! (she brought it up back in June)"

I looked at her and said, "apparently, God's"

for letting us think your thoughts after you, we give you thanks, O God.