Looking for ways to involve children in hands-on service opportunities while also earning a new badge or patch? Fall is the perfect season for children to bridge generational gaps and minister to senior friends in your church or community. Lead children in one or more of the following activities and then present them with our newly redesigned Senior Friends Badge/Patch.

“Back when I was a child . . . ”

Didn’t we always hate hearing those words from our parents? We knew what would follow: they had walked to school uphill, in the snow, with no shoes or socks, etc.

Did your parents say things like that? Mine did.

The other day, I was talking to Evan, my 8-year-old son. I was talking about finding some information that I needed. I said, “Back when I was your age, we had to go to the library and look in the encyclopedia to find information like that.”

Evan looked at me and said, “Dad, today we’d just Google it.”

He’s right. “Back in the day” won’t solve all of the questions of today. I do know that.

Over the last few months, there have been many changes in our missions education materials for children. You’ve probably noticed many of those changes. Maybe some you’ve missed. Or, maybe you are trying to find some information that will help you teach better this week. Whatever the case, let me answer a few questions about the changes you may have noticed.

I’m a CA leader and I can’t find the “Family Missions Focus” and “Extras” information in my magazine. Where can I find it?

Several weekends ago, I opened my Facebook to find that a WMU friend was taking her Girls in Action members to visit the Baptist Friendship House in New Orleans, Louisiana. I immediately sent her a private message and asked her to take plenty of pictures of her GAs while they were there.

I’ll admit it—I wanted to see the projects her girls were going to do and snag a few ideas for my own GA group.

I watched for her posts all day, and finally, when she shared pictures, I saw sweet girls wearing purple GA vests experiencing something we all should strive to share with our GAs: compassion in action.

Later, I received several emails containing pictures and an account of what this group experienced and learned during their trip to Baptist Friendship House.

Read the following excerpts from Susan’s emails for yourself:

The GAs and WMU from Pleasant View Baptist Church, Foley, Alabama, took a trip to New Orleans, Louisiana, to visit Dr. Kay Bennett, Kendall Wolz, and PJ—missionaries at the Baptist Friendship House. What a great day we had!

All CAs, GAs, RAs, and their missions leaders are wanted for a very special assignment . . . Mission: My Life! Your mission—if you choose to accept it—is to discover ways that God can use you to share His love in all areas of your life—at school, on the ball field, in dance class, at the park, at the store—anywhere and anyhow!

This past week, Girls in Action and Royal Ambassadors at my church kicked off a new year with a Mission: My Life scavenger hunt. Each team of special agents was given clues to solve, leading them on a mysterious chase to collect evidence. At each stop, children had to complete a top-secret challenge in order to receive their next clue. My favorite challenge was decoding a secret message by holding it up to a bathroom mirror!

Throughout the scavenger hunt, children uncovered facts about different missionaries they will be learning about and praying for as well as some hands-on missions projects in which they will be involved. Agents were also challenged to think about the different areas of their lives where they can be on mission to share the love of Jesus.