BIBLE NEWS: "Bible School in a Box"

Often when we think about "missions trips", we think about ministering to people in other countries or other continents. But our own land contains many people who have never heard the gospel, including those living on American Indian Reservations. One church has created a "Bible School in a Box" to bring the message of Jesus to the Lakota people.

Amy said, “We would go out into these places in the middle of nowhere, and as soon as we got out of the truck, children would come literally flying out of the houses.”

The outlying areas — Red Scaffold, Iron Lightning, Thunder Butte — rarely receive missionary visits because they are so far from Eagle Butte, the main area. This, however, is where the greatest need lies, Dye said. These towns lie in the two poorest counties in the United States, Dewey and Ziebach counties, where alcoholism is at 75 percent, unemployment at 80 percent, and Dye said, “Hopelessness is 100 percent.”...

The Higdons visited at Christmas time in 2008 and 2009, and while still on the reservation, Maggie Higdon suggested returning in the summer for a Bible school. The youth brainstormed, and came up with the idea of Bible School in a Box. A team returned in the summer of 2010 and 2011 and are planning a return trip in July this year.

Prayer for Chit-Chat

From now until July 1, Chit-Chat will be down in Texas on a short-term missions trip. She'll be helping out with VBS for local kids, and doing some basic construction work. Please be praying for our fellow quizzer!

More Christians doing Missions Trips for Vacations

Currently, a number of men from our church - including some Quiz Team parents - are taking vacation time to go on a Missions Trip to Sudan. It turns out this is not unique to Calvary Church, but is a growing trend in Christianity nationwide.

A recent estimate said that 1.6 million American Christians are contributing $6 billion annually in labor in the form of short-term mission trips. In fact, the phenomenon -- which is being called "vacations with a purpose" -- is utilized by ministries nationwide such as Wycliffe Associates, which supports and encourages Bible translators worldwide.

Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates, says there are many ways to serve.

Have you considered taking some of your own vacation time in high school, college, or after college to Missions? Consider praying to see if God has this in mind for you.