“Mom! Can we go? Please!” my son excitedly whispered in my ear as the announcement was made at church for the annual Fly the Signs event coming up. He remembers how much fun we had last year reaching out to people, asking for donations. Our family of four stood on the side of a busy interstate exit stop light, dressed in bright orange, collecting money for the Warming Center here in Bozeman, Mont.
“Yes, we sure will!” I replied.
We know that it gets very cold in our valley and that while we are tucked in our cozy beds for the night in our warm homes, there are people here that don’t have that luxury. The Warming Center is open for those who need a warm place to stay during the frigid winter nights. The price of shelter and heat is not free, however, and the funding for the center is 100% community driven. It relies on the generosity of local people to provide for those in need.
We feel it is important to show our kids that loving and serving others is a vital part of our faith. One way we are able to serve together as a family is by flying signs. This is only the second year our family has been involved, but the Bozeman Church has been doing it for about eight years.
This year, on Oct. 19, about 25 of us, plus 13 Mount Ellis Academy students, broke into small groups to cover a busy intersection armed with florescent safety gear, donation buckets and signs. With bright smiles and friendly waves, we greeted vehicles passing through our designated territory. Many people smiled back, gave a happy wave, and often times rolled down their window to generously donate. Some voiced their appreciation for our efforts to help those in need.
Before long our hearts, and buckets, were full. The total raised from our group was just over $3,500! Our family not only had a great time, but we learned the important lesson that, through the generosity of others, needs will be met and lives will be touched. While this simple act of service is done for the benefit of others, we left greatly blessed, as the Bible promises in Prov. 11:25: "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."
