Share your story!

Is your family being blessed by this project? We want to hear about it!

Tell us your family's stories and share your photos from your Rice Bag Project by sending us an email at sonlight@missionindia.org. Tell us what you are enjoying about the program and what kinds of things your family has learned so far. Share your photos of ways you are raising loose change, how full your bags are getting, or your family watching the Meenaben video. And if you have any suggestions, we'd love to hear those too!

(By sharing your stories and photos you give Mission India permission to publish this information on our website and/or in other print materials.)

You can also share your thoughts and get ideas from other families at the Sonlight forum dedicated to the Rice Bag Project!

Here's what families are talking about at the Rice Bag Project Forum:

savedmom said:

I have a 5 yr old as well in K. We went to the grocery store the other day, and I gave my daughter some money to buy a few food items for a shelter that my church helps. I gave her the money before we went in and put it her pocket. We talked about what we were going to do with the money, and I let her do the exchange at the register so she would feel the change that she got back.

With the money that she had left over, I told her that she could have some to get something out of the machine, and the rest would go to Meenaben.

We talk about her in our house as though she is our friend and neighbor. She has seen the video a few times, so I think that has helped put a face with a name. She told the checkout lady about her and what we were doing to help. I thought she would have a really hard time letting go of all the money, but I think it was the first time that she acutally "felt good" to help someone else.

Sunflower said:

Perhaps you could have each family member put a nickel or a penny in the rice bag every time they flush the toilet, or every time they read something, or every time they flip on a switch.

We take so many things for granted, just stopping for a moment to think, "The people I am praying and saving my change for don't have ______. So every time I get to read a book, or turn on the washing machine, or whatever it is, I will put some change in my rice bag and pray for the people of India." I know this has made us appreciate what we have and it reminds us to pray and give many, many times a day.

Allegory said:

We were so impressed with and excited about the materials that arrived in our kit, the girls and I took the project to church. All of the Sunday school classes are saving their "loose change" for the month of October and everyone in church usually contributes to a "Loose Change" jar each month. They have allowed us to designate October's loose change to Mission India. We showed the video during church last Sunday and involved the kids in Children's Church. They were all very excited to "be missionaries" without going around the world. One little boy was very concerned about how we could give them our money if we couldn't take it to them!

What a wonderful project and teaching opportunity. Thanks!