Group Publishing: Group Magazine: Article Library

GROUP MAGAZINE - May-June 1998
Good News About Kids
COLD COMFORT
On a cold, rainy November night, more than 100 kids gathered for a "homeless sleepout" in the parking lot of the Delmont Faith United Methodist Church in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. They huddled around burn barrels for warmth and spent the night sleeping in boxes to highlight the plight of the homeless in the Pittsburgh area. Aside from a pillow, warm clothing, and blankets, no one brought anything from home. Kids passed the time with simple entertainment, such as jumping rope and playing charades.
"A lot of kids are homeless," says youth group member Lisa Osterman, "but many people don’t realize it because the kids don’t get to go to school." As part of the event, the youth group collected food, clothing, and donations of $877 for a local homeless shelter.
PRIME EXAMPLE
Twelve junior highers from Southlake Church of Christ in Southlake, Texas, set an example for the other 130 kids in their youth group by taking part in World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine. "Every one of those 12 teens made the 30-hour fast with no problem," says youth minister Danny Stokes.
The junior highers began their fast at noon Friday. During a canned food scavenger hunt Friday evening, they collected 16 bags of groceries, which they donated to an inner city food pantry and church in downtown Fort Worth. On Saturday they did repair work for an elderly couple whose home had been extensively damaged by a falling tree. The 12 group members solicited donations from family and friends for one month prior to their fast and raised $1500 for World Vision.