A new bike for Christmas? It’s on nearly every child’s wish list. But for the vast majority of the 955 kids of Reed Elementary in Houston, Texas – where 80 percent of the families are economically disadvantaged – a gift like a bicycle was beyond reach…, but it wasn’t beyond God! On Sunday, 15th December, Faith Assembly Church of Houston partnered with Academy Sports and Outdoors to present all the children attending Reed Elementary with a brand new bicycle for Christmas.

It all began in a church staff meeting in 2010, when they adopted Reed Elementary through the Adopt-a-School programme. Members volunteer in the Feed the Children and Cy-Hope Backpack Buddy programmes (food sent home with kids so that they can have evening and weekend meals) as well as mentoring and other support efforts. A flyer was placed in each of the kids’ backpacks, with an invitation to the Christmas services with a voucher for a bike attached. All parents had to do was sign the voucher and come and pick up the bike.

“Honestly, I was speechless,” said Reed principal Kandy Bond, “I’ve never experienced anything like this.” Community members joined with church members to assemble, inspect and test each bicycle. Wagons and tricycles were also purchased for children with special needs. Leah Carreon, of Faith Assembly says, “through the children’s Christmas production, 80 people signed cards stating that they had made a decision to accept Christ as their Saviour…”

Source: AG News

BIBLE STUDY: James 2:14-18

PRAISE: God this church has gone out of its way to establish a relationship with a local school. Pray that the whole community will be blessed and that many other churches will seek ways to bless their schools.