Kids Helping Kids in Tough Situations

The Rapid City Journal featured an article yesterday on some work being done by Love INC with the help of some local school children.

The student council at Robbinsdale Elementary School met after school Tuesday in the last part of a project called Cases for Kids that began in February. The students scurried around, stuffing clothes, combs, hair ties, puzzle books, markers and other items -- depending on the age and sex of the child -- into the backpacks. The backpacks were custom-made for children in grades one through five.

The backpacks will be available to Rapid City children who are removed from their homes due to domestic violence, substance abuse and other situations.

Backpacks are distributed by Rapid City's Love, INC -- or Love In the Name of Christ. The agency, begun in 2001, works to help churches and volunteers fill community needs.

Most of the students helping Tuesday took it to heart and put themselves in that situation.

You can't take it to heart and "put yourself in that situation" if government is taking your charity out of your paycheck before you even see it, whether you want to give it or not, and giving it to who-knows-who and for who-knows what.

Compassion means to bear with, or suffer with. You can't do that when government gets in the way. The socialist way robs both the giver and the receiver, not to mention that it's inefficient and often irresponsible.

Love INC is doing charity and compassion the way it's supposed to be done, the way it WAS done in America less than 100 years ago.

Love INC works with churches and other groups to help the needy in many ways, including their Clothe-A-Kid for School program, and a budgeting program that provides not only education and advice but mentoring.

I have a friend who who is a manager with a national finance company who volunteers his time with Love INCs budgeting program; it blesses him and those he helps.

Love INC is a great ministry, and they're not only in Rapid City but all around the country. If there isn't one in your area, maybe you could be the person to help get one started.