Kids Learning Lessons of Kindness During the Pandemic

A kaleidoscope of colored pencils spreads across the kitchen table as 12-year-old Sara and 10-year-old Kevin carefully fold handwritten letters and put the finishing touches onto their creative masterpieces.

The Lane siblings send their letters and artfully designed envelopes to families and individuals in their community of Texarkana, Arkansas. “When I draw and decorate the envelopes, I try to think what problems people may have. And then I want to send them my letter!” said Sara.

11-year-old Isla and 4-year-old Liam of Little Rock, Arkansas also mail letters with com- forting scriptural messages and carefully decorated envelopes. Their mom Candace Rososki commented, “Isla loves sharing her art and she works very hard on each envelope. She loves making people smile.”

The children's efforts have touched hearts.

“Thank you for remembering me during this difficult time,” an individual wrote back after receiving one of Sara’s letters. “I’d like to send you these stamps to help you spread comfort to others. You are an amazing and thoughtful person.”

Like the Lanes and Rososkis, many of Jehovah’s Witness families are using the challenges of the pandemic to help teach their children powerful object lessons in compassion and community service.

Love of neighbor is a central tenet of Christianity for Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is the driving force behind the organization’s public ministry as well as its decision in March 2020 to suspend in-person preaching in response to COVID-19. Since then, Witnesses young and old have shifted to sharing a positive Bible message with their neighbors through letters and phone calls.

“Jesus taught that there’s more happiness in giving than in receiving,” said Robert Hendriks III, U.S. spokesman for the organization. “So when children are taught to recognize the needs of others and reach out to them from the heart, they are learning life skills that will contribute to a happy life and also benefit society at large.”