From Kelli Mahoney,
Your Guide to Christian Teens.
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Think that just because you’re a teenager you can’t support the troops? Think again. There are troops stationed all around the world that can use the support of everyone back home, and that includes you. If you feel a calling on your heart to offer a word of kindness or more to those helping to protect our country and spread good will around the world, here are some ways you can show that support for the troops:

Write a Letter

One of the easiest ways to show your support for the troops is to write letters. Many soldiers love getting the mail, and they feel good knowing someone at home cares enough to drop them a line. There are several organizations that will connect you with soldiers around the world. For instance, A Million Thanks was actually started by a teenager, Shauna Fleming, to send letters, CDs, and DVDs to the troops. Other organizations that conduct letter writing campaigns are Operation Military Support and Letters From Home Program.

Send a Care Package

If you have a little money to spend, or you want to raise some money, sending a care package is a great way to show support for the troops. Anyone away from home knows how fun it is to get those special “goodies.” Simple things like sunscreen, cards, and more can make a soldier’s day. You can send your own care package or offer a donation to send packages to troops. One organization that sends care packages to troops is the USO Cares Program. You can also send care packages through the Any Soldier Program, Treats for Troops, or the Soliders Angels.

Volunteer Your Time

Part of being a Christian teen is feeling that call to service. Volunteering your time to an organization can be very rewarding. There are plenty of organizations that need your help in supporting troops at home and overseas. The Veterans’ Administration has a list of ways you can offer your time. Also, you can check with [http://usafreedomcorps.gov/]USA Freedom Corps[/link] for more ways to volunteer.

Foster a Pet

Do you love animals? Ever wonder what soldiers do with their beloved pets when they go overseas? Talk to your family to see if you can foster a service member’s pet while they are away. The Net Pets Military Pets Foster Program helps find temporary homes for all kinds of pets while their owners are away. However, remember that this is a foster program, and you cannot keep the pets.

Help the Troops Help Others

While we tend to associate the deployment of troops for war purposes, there are military service members stationed all over the world for humanitarian efforts. You can support the troops’ efforts by supporting the schools and communities they are trying to assist. As a Christian, supporting the poor and needy is a responsibility, so not only are you supporting the troops, but you are also helping out people in need. The Adopt a Platoon Program can connect you with a platoon’s humanitarian efforts.[/

Getting Troops Connected

We may be living in one of the most affluent countries in the world, but that does not mean that everyone can afford those long-distance or overseas calls. If you and your friends have extra cell phones sitting around, you can donate those phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers.

Cards for Soldiers

It is very hard for soldiers to get special occasion cards to send home. The Cards for Soldiers Program sends homemade greeting cards to the troops so they can send them to those they love.

Pray for Your Troops

As a Christian, you know the power of prayer. Make it a point every day to say a prayer for the men and women who are serving our country. They not only need your support, but they also need God's support as they face difficult and dangerous situations.

Luke 10:27 – “He answered: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (NIV)

While these are only 7 ideas for supporting your troops, you can come up with your own ways. There are teens raising money to send care packages, videotaping family messages for troops, and websites devoted to sending e-messages to the troops. Find something you feel fits and know that you are not only “doing the Christian thing” by helping out our military service people, but that you are also brightening someone’s day and offering hope when they are so far away from home.

Have you been doing something for the troops? Send me an e-mail to tell me about what you've been doing to help out our troops.