Little and Committed

Editor’s note: This is one in a series of 20 PE News articles on 20 people in the Assemblies of God under the age of 20 who are making an impact in their communities.

Coy Pittman is a little boy with a big heart. When Coy was 3 years old, his family received a newsletter from Assemblies of God missionaries Lance and Mindy Hines. The communiqué told about a partnership between the missionaries and Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge (BGMC) to drill a water well in Mozambique. Pictures on the newsletter showed Africans using BGMC buckets to carry the water.

Clydene, Coy’s mother, hung the newsletter in the hallway of the family home in Canadian, Texas. Pictures of the bright yellow BGMC buckets grabbed Coy’s attention. He was concerned that people had to carry their water in buckets. He also wanted one of the Buddy buckets for himself.

Yet he also wanted to help the people in Mozambique. Over the next few months, Coy raised $250 for BGMC. Later that year, Coy’s bucket wish was granted. He received his own bright, yellow Buddy bucket at the district BGMC Grand Club banquet.

BGMC has become contagious in Coy’s family. Coy, who is 8, recruited his younger brother, Colt, now 7, and their little sister, Cambree, now 5. The kids have sold toys, jelly, cookie dough, and candles. They have done chores for people, held garage sales, and taken part in walk-a-thons, all to raise money for BGMC.

When they received new toys for birthdays or Christmas, they sold older toys to raise money. Several of their birthday parties had a Buddy Barrel theme. To date, the kids have raised $13,800.

Coy says he loves raising money for BGMC, “so more people can go to heaven.”         

In March 2015, the Pittman family traveled to Mozambique to witness firsthand the water wells BGMC had helped to drill. While there, missionaries Randy and Mindy Hines presented the kids with the BGMC Grand Club Coin for their efforts in raising money.

“It’s been a journey for sure,” Clydene says. “Sometimes the kids have more faith than me. It’s very humbling.”

Coy, Colt and Cambree aren’t finished. For 2016, they had a BGMC goal of $3,000. The children quickly exceeded that objective when they received an unexpected donation of $4,000.

BGMC Director David Boyd notes that the ministry provides free resources for churches to use.

“Churches have a passion to teach their kids about missions,” says Boyd. “The Spirit of God breathes compassion into a child’s heart. The child acts on this newfound passion. People around the world are blessed!”

Mindy Benintendi

Mindy Benintendi has been involved in children’s ministry as a missionary, children’s pastor, camp speaker, mother, and grandmother. She has witnessed the value of the church working in partnership with parents to shape the spiritual formation of children.