May 30, 2018 Do I Have to Pack This?

When we send mission teams into the field, I’ve sometimes been asked why we also send so much material and supplies with our children’s outreach leaders. All of the paper for ten craft projects is heavy! Crayons, scissors, glue and tape are bulky to pack. Why not just have children’s leaders make copies and buy supplies once they are on location?

The short answer is that it is always time-consuming and sometimes even impossible to get paper, copies and craft supplies in the countries where we serve.

I personally experienced that challenge on a mission in Cuba. I needed a few additional copies of the crafts because we had so many children attending our program. I don’t speak Spanish, however, and I had no idea where to go for paper and copiesÑand I had no transportation.

Fortunately, my translator had access to the copy machine at the local Adventist conference office. They only had regular white paper instead of colored card stock, but that was better than nothing. The copy machine was old and slow, so it took all morning to get the copies I would have had in minutes, back at my office in America. Despite the time and effort, I was grateful to have the copies so that every child would be able to participate.

My friend, Jackie Tucker, once told me that before a mission years ago, she decided to buy scissors, crayons and glue after she arrived in Cuba. She found a few scissors and a few crayons, however, she couldn’t find any glue. She even tried to get some flour or corn starch to make her own glue but couldn’t get that either! She searched for anything else that would stick two pieces of paper together. Finally, she found an unusual solutionÑnail polish!

During my mission, the church where I was serving in Cuba had no craft supplies. The children’s leaders were incredibly grateful when we left behind all of the scissors, crayons and glue that we brought with us, as well as a complete Bible story felt set.

Providing these resources for churches overseas is well worth finding space in our suitcases to hand-carry them from the USA. The children are always thrilled to make their own crafts and take them home as reminders of the Bible stories they learned. The opportunity to give the children a brand-new experience while they learn about Jesus is invaluable!

Andrea Griggs
QHM Chief Administrative Officer