This year was significantly different in the way San Pablo Lutheran Church and Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLMHC) approached the annual backpack distribution. In the past, the distribution process involved long lines of parents and grandparents waiting for backpacks filled with school supplies, which they registered for two months prior to the distribution day. This year, San Pablo Lutheran Church decided to take a different approach and organized their first Back to School Festival, which was held July 15^th.

The Back-to-School Festival was a joined effort between San Pablo Lutheran Church and YLMHC, bringing together members of San Pablo, who were enthusiastic about contributing resources, and their time, to the event’s success. While YLMHC provided backpacks and school supplies, members of San Pablo offered a variety of treats and fun activities. Mouth-watering treats like hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, along with sodas and water, were available for everyone to enjoy for.

The festival’s focal point was the distribution; however, the game booths offered a fun experience for all in attendance. Adults and children participated in games like darts, ball toss, pin the mustache, life-size bingo, and more. Laughter and shouts of joy filled the air, especially when the music played at the cakewalk booth, where people danced around in a circle, eagerly hoping to win prizes. Face-painting was also a hit, with children lining up to have their faces transformed into butterflies, puppies, tigers, pandas, and other fun designs.

Parents played with their children at the game booths, making it a time of fun for them as a family. San Pablo’s confirmation students and parents took charge of overseeing the game booths, handing out prizes to the lucky winners. Over two hundred people of all ages participated at this event.

The food table was another crowd-pleaser, managed by San Pablo’s vicar, elders, and several other members. People were treated to freshly popped popcorn, hot dogs cooked that very morning, and nachos topped with delectable cheese, also prepared that same morning. However, the most sought-after booth, after the food, was the cakewalk. The delectable array of homemade cakes, cupcakes, cookie trays, and other baked goodies, all generously donated by members of San Pablo, proved to be irresistible to many families.

The registration table was thoughtfully placed near two pallets of backpacks, allowing kids to choose their own backpacks. Over 101 children came for their backpacks, some carefully sifting through the options, searching for the one they liked best, while others happily accepted the backpacks Alejandra, a middle school student volunteering her community service hours, thoughtfully picked for them.

Overall, the Back-to-School Festival was a success, allowing for greater interaction between members of San Pablo and their community. The atmosphere of joy and fellowship was present as everyone, from children to adults, enjoyed the festivities. The event not only supplied essential school items but also created cherished memories for all who participated. It served as a witness to the power of partnerships, community involvement, and creativity in ensuring a successful and enjoyable event for all involved.

For YLMHC, the joy in seeing one of their mission-partners take the resources offered to create meaningful connections with their community was immense, and in the next few weeks, the Juarez mission-churches will be doing their own distributions of backpacks with school supplies, making it possible for children to successfully achieve their educational goals.

If you would like to donate towards the Backpack Distributions, you can donate backpacks and school supplies year-round, or donate here.