CHILDREN PRACTICE MISSIONS BY HELPING COMMUNITY

Even at age 5, Caleb Goode can understand that serving drinks during the Salvation Army's Meal with Friends is helping someone out.

Caleb was among 20 children from La Croix United Methodist Church who helped serve dinner and dessert to people eating at the Salvation Army Wednesday evening.

Nearly 100 people had come for a meal within its first hour of serving. And the extra hands made for light work.

"The kids wanted to help and I'll let them," said Maj. Joyce Gauthier of the Salvation Army. Between 150 and 200 people are served hot meals at the Salvation Army during the last week of the month.

Helping with practical jobs, like serving a meal or picking up storm debris at city parks, has helped teach children the value of missions, said Marsha Edwards, who works with children's ministries at the church.

The Kidz Klub was designed to show children from kindergarten through sixth grade that they can have an impact on their own community. Every other week this summer, the children have tackled a new mission project.

They began with helping city crews clean up storm debris in June at Capaha Park. Since then, the children have helped a woman in their church who needed car repairs by raising pledges for a charity miniature golf outing and they've visited with veterans at the Missouri Veterans Home.

"If we'd just collect money or something, he couldn't understand that as missions," said Emily Goode of her son, Caleb. But serving food or cleaning up dishes is something real. He can see exactly how he helps.

Serving food at the Salvation Army means wearing a fun red apron, too.

As diners collected their trays and moved through the lines, the children carried drinks and desserts and offered breadsticks.

"The people like to be waited on," Gauthier said.

And the children liked doing the waiting. Kyle Bader, 8, and Caitlin Bell, 9, knew that their jobs were important. Kyle carried drinks while Caitlin passed out bread.

It was important for the children to help "because it makes people happy," Caitlin said.

But the activities aren't going to end once school starts, Edwards said. "We plan to do some outreach in the fall." And children don't have to be members at the church to participate, she added.

"It teaches the value that missions can be anywhere," she said. The group plans to offer free lemonade to students moving back into dormitories at Southeast Missouri State University.