‘Missionary kids’ offer one solution to IMB budget challenge

BP photo by Justin Veneman

Children at the International Mission Board's Missionary Learning Center near Richmond, Va., gave more than $100 to help send missionaries who can't go right now for lack of funding.

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)–Need a simple answer to a complicated problem? Just ask a child!

The International Mission Board began reporting in January that it was having to make serious budget adjustments because growing support from Southern Baptist churches was not keeping pace with the record numbers of new missionaries coming forward for service. Missions-minded people in all areas of Southern Baptist life began looking for ways to address the funding challenge.

But to a class of 8- and 9-year-old "missionary kids" at the IMB’s Missionary Learning Center near Richmond, Va., the solution seemed simple: What if all 16 million Southern Baptist church members gave a dollar each?

The 19 second- and third-graders liked the idea so much that they not only started the collection themselves, but they also challenged other youngsters in the school to help as well.

The 63 students at the Missionary Learning Center raised more than $100 to help the International Mission Board send the missionaries who are being held up for lack of resources.