The New Heights women’s group and Jacob Hatcher, center, met with Fran and Mike Graham in Macon. Photo courtesy of the Grahams

ATLANTA – Jacob Hatcher is the only student in his church’s Wednesday night missions education class, but that didn’t stop him from making a difference in the life of a Slavic immigrant family in Asheville, N.C.

Hatcher, a first-grader at Heritage Elementary School in Macon, Ga., attends New Heights Baptist Church in Macon. He and his missions education teacher, Jerrie Bodrey, studied Spark, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s missions education resource for children and learned about Fran and Mike Graham, CBF Global Missions affiliates who minister among Slavic immigrants in Asheville.

The Grahams needed "Welcome Home" kits for new families to the United States, who have often fled their home country because of religious persecution, and Hatcher and Bodrey decided to help. The kits include items such as tooth brushes, Kleenex, razors and soap.

"Hands-on missions is more than just talking about missions," Bodrey said. "Whenever there’s something that we can do ... it teaches them more about missions than just getting it out of the book."

Together with the church’s women’s mission group, Hatcher and Bodrey made a kit and sent it to the Grahams, who later came to the church to speak about their ministry. The Grahams also received several other kits from churches who studied about their ministry in missions education resources.

"It has been amazing to see the response of people wanting to be involved with assisting the Slavic community," said Fran Graham.

Spark, the missions education resource designed for school-aged children, not only tells the stories of Fellowship missions personnel but also incorporates practical missions activities. For more information, to see a sample, or to order missions education resources, visit www.missionseducation.org.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.