Part of the curriculum at Holly Brook Baptist Church VBS included teaching children about missionaries and what they do in communities they are called to serve.

The children learned about missionaries in St. Louis, Mo. and Colombia who, along with teaching people about Jesus, also provide help and training in practical areas of life, such as planning and shopping for a healthy meal.

Along with daily learning activities, the kindergartners and pre-kindergartners took on a special mission project to help a local organization that serves people in Wood County with a food pantry. They took home letters asking parents to send dried beans and tomatoes to help others in need.

Each boy and girl brought one pound of beans and a can of diced tomatoes to put together a soup package.

These food gifts were donated to the Kindness Kottage Food Pantry in Mineola at a special event on the last day of VBS at the church.

It was an exciting day for the children as they met B.J. Gold, executive director, who told them more about where and how their gifts would help other children and families close to home as they loaded their 29 lunch-sized sacks filled with food donations totaling 87 lbs. into the organization’s truck.