Joy Ministries First Day Challenge was a tremendous success! Our ministry team distributed just under 1,500 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need throughout Hampton Roads. Every child had the opportunity to select their favorite backpack, but more importantly, they had the opportunity to encounter the love of Jesus!

• Parents and children were greeted by Joy Ministries volunteers as they lined up to register and get tickets for their backpacks. While waiting, they heard testimonies from volunteers about the love and faithfulness of God; about His provision and His miracle working power.

• Small groups of people could be seen all over the area with their heads bowed in prayer while one of our volunteers prayed for God’s miraculous power to touch their lives. Some of these praying volunteers were the teenaged children of our workers, boldly exercising their faith to pray for other teens and their parents.

• One of the teenaged girls who received a backpack was in need of a job. She prayed with one of our volunteers and together they stood in faith for the Lord to provide employment for her. Two days later she went in for an interview and was hired on the spot!  She is so excited about what God has done for her and now takes every opportunity to witness to  people on the job, telling them if God can do it for her, He will do it for them!

• Each child entered our portable sanctuary and backpack distributions centers (a chartered bus) along with their primary care givers. There were hundreds of men, women and children who heard the gospel message and received prayer, and many made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

• A young man who came on the bus to receive backpacks for his children was completely captivated by the gospel message. It was evident that the Holy Spirit was dealing with him. At the end of the message, he raised his hand to recommit his life to the Lord. After the group exited the bus, he was pulled aside and ministered to. He shared with us that he had fallen away from God, but knew there was a call on his life. He was ready to surrender it all to Jesus. He inquired how he could get involved and help us minister to his neighborhood. We’ll be getting him plugged in immediately!

• A young woman came on the bus with her niece and nephew who had just moved into the area. This was her first time hearing of Joy Ministries. During the message she was moved to tears. She told us later that she knew the Lord had sent us to bring her back to Him. That day she rededicated her life to Jesus. We recently spoke to her and she is so excited about what God is doing in her life. She wants to get her niece and nephew plugged into our Kid’s Club, and she wants to get involved  with local outreaches we hold in her neighborhood. Praise the Lord.

• One man whose family lived in a trailer park came back to our registration table to thank us for providing for their needs. He told us that he had been involved in a car accident and was told that he was not going to be able to walk. He was so grateful to be walking again. He wanted to come back to say thank you. He was teaching his young grandchildren to have a thankful heart.

• A volunteer going door to door to deliver flyers for First Day Challenge engaged an elderly man in conversation and learned that he was struggling in his Christian walk. She talked to him about a relationship with the Lord and later brought him a Bible. Again, with tears in his eyes, he said “Thank you, you don’t know what this means to me.” He checked out the large print and said, “Yes, this will work. Thank you. Thank you.”

As a result of this awesome outreach 376 people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.  In addition, there were 33 others who responded with the desire to know more about having Christ in their lives.  We are currently doing follow up with all of these individuals.  Thank you so much for your prayers and your financial support.  It is because of people like you that we are able to reach into the lives of so many people. God bless you!

To see more pictures of our First Day Challenge visit: