Sixteen underprivileged children in Mississippi got to sleep in their own beds (some for the very first time) thanks to Serve Tour volunteers working with Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
George* was one of the grateful recipients of the beds built at Serve Tour Meridian.
His home life had been volatile before recently getting adopted. Though George felt much safer living with his new parents, they were struggling to make ends meet, and George slept on the couch.
After George saw his new bed, he exclaimed, “This is the nicest home I’ve ever lived in!”
“To be 12 years old and to not have experienced a safe home and a bed of one’s own really put things into perspective for us and our volunteers,” said Serve Tour volunteer Jamie Castle. “We don’t realize how good we have it! If you can provide something physically helpful to a child in need, it really opens a door to share the love of God.”
Jamie and her husband, Chandler Castle, co-founded Mississippi’s only chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace when they felt the Holy Spirit prompt them to take Chandler’s construction experience and use it for the glory of God. After hearing about the organization and watching the testimony of a young mom with four children who all slept on one air mattress together, they decided to take ownership of this new responsibility.
“Being a part of the joy a child gets from having their very first bed and seeing them so excited about something we often take for granted every day is life-changing!” Castle commented. “Even if you can’t build things, it’s as simple as showing up. None of us knew how to do it either but we learned quickly and we’re so willing to help train volunteers. You don’t have to have prior knowledge—just a willing heart and some sacrificial time!”
Pray for Serve Tour volunteer teams as they minister to their communities in 2022 and pray for more children to be helped through partnering non-profits like this.
For more Serve Tour opportunities and upcoming cities, visit our website today!
*Name changed for privacy.
Published April 11, 2022