Operation Christmas Child 
VGMC has been sharing Gospel Opportunities with children all over the world through Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts since 1994.  Most of these years we have been a drop off center for others so we can relay their boxes to collection centers. We prayerfully assemble shoebox gifts each Fall in anticipation of their delivery to over 100 countries where children will learn all about God's love and ours! It's never too early to collect items to include in the boxes as well as prayers for the children and all who make this ministry work. One shoebox often impacts many lives as the children share their gift and gospel story booklet with others.

Backpack Blessings
The Backpack Blessings Ministry has been serving our schools by providing backpacks of food for children to take home over the weekend since 2011.  We currently provide weekend child-friendly meals to more than 50 elementary students who may not have enough food to eat when not in school. We also provide snacks to students in the high school evening program, as well as groceries during the summer months, and Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to participating Backpack Blessing families.  You can become a hands-on participant by helping to assemble bags of food at several of the organized assembly groups during the year  and also by distributing summer food and holiday meals.

Vanceboro Christian Help Center
From January to November 2024, we served a total of 13,069 individuals and 4,872 families. Each family received three meals per week, resulting in a total of 753,012 meals distributed throughout the year. Additionally, we provided 160 Thanksgiving boxes this year, each filled with all the necessary fixings. For Christmas, we assisted 26 families, which included 98 children in need. Our "Angels" program allowed guardians to adopt families and provide holiday gifts. We are incredibly grateful to our local churches, businesses, and individuals who have supported the Vanceboro Christian Help Center, enabling us to serve our clients effectively.

The relationship with Vanceboro GMC and The Pearl Foundation of Nicaragua began in 2016 and has afforded us numerous opportunities to take Jesus to a third world country while growing in our own relationships with Him. We strive to make ourselves malleable as we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us while meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the people He puts in front of us on our journey. Working alongside the staff of The Pearl Foundation in Granada, Nicaragua, we help feed hundreds of children, provide a Bible story through puppetry, participate in acting and storytelling, sing songs, and lead in crafts and play as we grow relationships with them. Throughout the week, other opportunities to share the good news of Jesus are made available through visits with individuals as we visit in homes throughout the barrios, provide food and company to those living in the nursing home, and share with a youth group of teens, athletic teams, and any other opportunity God places in our path. As we prepare months in advance of our trip, one of the privileges of being open to His leading, is learning to open ourselves up and becoming more bold in our witness. God always meets us there and opens doors that bless us far beyond those we are serving. While we are there only a week and the work of the Pearl Foundation would continue whether we are there or not, our week of serving provides encouragement and support to the team as they serve day in and day out meeting the needs and providing hope to a community of people desperate to know Jesus and experience his love.  Our next mission team will be serving and experiencing the extraordinary culture of Nicaragua June 7
through the 14 of 2025.  If you would like more information about The Pearl Foundation, please click on the "Learn More" button.