Update December 8, 2011: Congratulations goes to Diana Scarberry! Diana, you won the One Starry Night product!

** UPDATE Dec. 7th, 2011: Congratulations to Joy Feemster! Joy won the Nativity: Lights! Camera! Action!" kit**

Gracias! Dankeschon! In any language, these ideas will help you express your gratitude to volunteers' hearts!

Here are some of my favorite ideas for saying thanks from the "98 Thank Yous for Volunteers" by Mary Van Aalsburg in Children's Ministry Magazine.

1. Write three to five quick thank you notes each week.

2. Give a video rental coupon and a bag of microwave popcorn.

3. Give a long-stemmed chocolate rose.

4. Feature a teacher each month in your church bulletin, newsletter, or worship folder.

5. Make button pins for all your volunteers: "KIDS LOVE ME!"

6. Place classroom supplies such as stickers, stamps, and stamp pads inside a basket and wrap it in colorful cellophane.

7. Set up a Sunday Siesta Section in a quiet room, stocked with flavored coffees and teas, bagels or muffins, and inspirational music.

8. Leave a plate of homemade cookies in each classroom.

9. Volunteer to take leftover "gift with purchase merchandise" off a department store's hands to use as thank you gifts.

10. Find a prayer partner for each volunteer. Send this card: "Pray-er's name is praying just for you and Jesus' kids!"

11. Leave gold-wrapped chocolate coins or Hershey's Kisses® with this note: "Your work with children is more precious than gold. Thanks!"

12. Thank all volunteers with a children-hosted "After-Holidays Open House." Serve appetizers and festive punch or hot apple cider.

13. Surprise a volunteer with a balloon bouquet.

14. Have children complete "You're special to me because…" slips. Then present the slips to teachers.

15. Surprise each volunteer with a gift subscription to Children's Ministry Magazine (www.childrensministry.com/subscribe)

16. Take class pictures. Frame them and have kids sign each frame.

17. Develop a "Homeroom Parent" program to help teachers with tasks such as attendance, follow-up, encouragement, and snack preparation.

18. Provide a place and time for prayer with volunteers before the hectic morning begins.

19. Make a mural with candid shots of teachers and children.

20. Give a gift certificate for dinner out.

Want the other 78 ideas? Click here: http://www.childrensministry.com/articles/98-thank-yous-for-volunteers

We're back in the states now and it's hard to communicate our experience to people. I wondered often about the difference we were making in kids' lives. And I think the DR Compassion Communication Director helped me get a glimpse of that at our last meeting.

He said so often these kids are pushed aside at home, in the streets, everywhere they go. But then a group of 30 people come to town and what they most want to do is spend time with them. We loved them, gave to them, photographed them. Yes, it was brief. But for a day we gave them a happy time. He said that communicated to these kids that "I really am important." That's pretty cool!

The other thing I think I'm impacted by is that I need to think globally in my actions. As we drove through neighborhoods, I started to judge the people who were just sitting around not being productive. And God convicted me that I spend a lot of time doing nothing...just sitting by the side of the road. How can I be more productive to give more, serve more, pray more? I'm asking God to change me in this area.

If you are looking for a great mission trip experience, I just want you to know that I highly recommend LifeTree Adventures (that's the group that organized our trip). It was safe, well-organized, and meaningful. Check it out at www.lifetreeadventures.com. The trip was worth every penny!

Another amazing day delivering backpacks and Bibles to kids in the DR! These kids are so precious and beautiful! It really is wonderful to do this.

At dinner with Shannon (from Boston!), we talked about our God Sightings for the day. We both sponsor kids through World Vision and this trip has challenged us to be stronger sponsors. So many children today could tell the names of their sponsors. They even asked Shannon if she was their sponsor. They really do have relationships with sponsors and feel genuinely loved. (How great it'll be some day to meet the children we sponsor in the Congo!)

Shannon and I thought about what the kids' lives would be like without the Compassion International sponsors who help them have access to loving Christian role models, tutoring, English training, Christian education, a warm meal daily, and more. The Compassion projects here give the kids hope for a better future and an introduction to the God who loves them dearly.

I have to admit that I haven't always taken the time to write meaningful notes to our sponsored kids. I think I'll be a much better sponsor after being here (and I would challenge you to consider sponsoring a child or more than one, too...through Compassion International or World Vision). There are many kids here in the DR who are still waiting for someone to give up a latte or two to help them experience the love of God!

You can even have a class or your entire ministry sponsor children. Learn more at www.compassion.com and make the difference in a beautiful child's life!