The theme this year for Bisons for Christ is “Made for This.” The inspiration for the theme came from Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Service projects include working with children’s homes, yard work, painting and helping the elderly.
“We are providing the opportunity for students to serve and it changes our community,” said Todd Gentry, the college and outreach minister at College Church of Christ and co-director of Bisons for Christ. “Bisons for Christ has changed the attitude of what Christians look like to the community.”
While Bisons for Christ is focused on one main day of service, Gentry said the goal is for students to get in the habit of living a life of service. Several on-going ministries started out as Bisons for Christ service projects, such as the “Pizza Ministry,” where students deliver pizza and other items to residents of the trailer park behind College Church. Another project that has also grown is ministering to the homeless at the bridge in Little Rock every Saturday.
Last year, Liz Howell, co-director for Bisons for Christ, was served after her daughter, Audrey Chandler, was in a car accident that left her temporarily in a wheelchair. While she was recovering, Chandler and her two children went to live with Howell. A group of students went to Howell’s house and cleaned up her backyard and the ramp on her back porch, which was covered in pollen.
“It’s easy to give, but when you’re the receiver it’s totally different,” Howell said. “Those little acts of kindness that are done on that day are extremely powerful.
For us it was a very hard time but that was a bright spot, having the students come out and help us. So I’m different this year.”
One new project this year is helping the students at Rock Mentoring at the Carmichael Center. Volunteers at Rock mentoring help elementary-aged students with their homework, play games, hang out with them and teach them to cook simple recipes. For Bisons for Christ, they will hold a mini-carnival type celebration with games, prizes and snacks for the children.
“This is my second year working with Rock Mentoring,” senior Austa Walton said. “I simply love kids and it was a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in their lives.”
Bisons for Christ will be held April 10. If you need assistance with a project or know of someone who does, please contact the Rock House at 501-268-4191. Sign-ups for service projects will begin after Spring Break.
