A Jar for JAARS

Nineteen fifth-grade students presented a glass canning jar, as precious as the ancient alabaster one, to JAARS. What did it hold? Sweet fruits like peaches, pears or cherries? No, something sweeter: an offering to advance Bible translation totaling over $500. These boys and girls from First Assembly Christian School in Concord, N.C., studied world cultures this past year. A trip in May to the Museum of the Alphabet and the Mexico-Cárdenas Museum tied the bow on the top of their global package. A boring trip to some ol’ museum in Waxhaw? Definitely not! They arrived engaged and eager to get a world perspective on life.

Their teacher, Joy Jenkins, said, “No better destination than JAARS could crown their course of study. The museum tours provide a great topical review: the Rosetta Stone, Greek city-states, Chinese characters and more.”

Joy started talking to the students about JAARS and Bible translation last September. Instead of giving gifts to her on teacher appreciation day in May, she encouraged the children to fill a “Jar for JAARS” and reach farther and wider than their classroom. Forfeiting the purchase of a new game or CD, each girl and boy got excited about touching the world for Christ. Only heaven, Joy emphasized to them, will one day reveal the impact of their sacrifice.

As they returned home after a full day at JAARS, exclamations filled the bus. “This is the best trip we ever had!” “I'm so glad we did this!” “This made us feel so good, Mrs. Jenkins. Only in heaven will we know ...” “You’ve made God a part of all we did this year!” And Savannah Cocherell concluded, “Because of this trip I know what I want to do with my life—whatever God wants me to do. Maybe someday I’ll serve Him at JAARS.”