A Book, A Tract, and a Snack
by Pat Humphrey
During the height of the COVID pandemic, many families spent more time at home, and for some, outreach opportunities were quite limited. But not so for three eager, bright, and innovative children—Arthur Glasser, age 8, Maxwell Glasser, age 7, and Clara Glasser, age 4—who found a very creative way to share God’s love with others. As various delivery drivers from UPS, Amazon, and FedEx arrived at their home with packages from day to day, the children got a bright idea. “I know what we can do!” they said. “Let’s give the delivery men something too!” And so began Boxman Ministry, which has been blessing the lives of drivers delivering packages at the Glasser home since early 2020.
With help from mom and dad, the children began putting together packages filled with uplifting literature, tracts, and snacks. Whenever they hear the driveway alarm ringing, Arthur, Maxwell, and Clara run to get dressed, put their shoes on, and grab a pre-made Boxman bag to hand to the person at the door. “Arthur is usually first out the door, then Maxwell, with Clara trailing behind,” says their dad, Aric Glasser. “We offer the Boxmen a warm greeting, a bag of blessings, and ask if they have any prayer requests before requesting to pray with them.”
The Glassers have developed special friendships with some of the drivers who regularly return to their home. They’ve even gifted one of them with a new Bible and a set of Bible study lessons. Their home deliveries have also provided unique opportunities to share health information and natural remedies with their visitors. But that’s not all. Whenever the Glasser family travels away from home, they carry with them “Boxman” bags for any strangers they meet at gas stations and other stops along the way. Aric says, “We started with delivery drivers that come to our home and have expanded to policemen, firemen, truck drivers at gas stations, and pretty much every new person we come across outside the home!” During the holiday season, the family takes holiday-themed literature to businesses in nearby towns.
While one of the purposes of Boxman Ministry is to plant seeds of truth in the minds and hearts of others, its primary purpose is to plant the seeds of love for doing missionary work in the hearts of children. As Aric and his wife, Lisa, train their children to work for God, their hearts’ desire is to see them actively engaged in touching the lives of others from an early age so that it will become a natural part of their lifelong experience. “We want our children to be a blessing in this world and to serve God wherever He leads them,” Aric says.
The three Glasser siblings are a powerful missionary team, each of whom plays their own unique role in making an impact on those who deliver packages to their home.
Eight-year-old Arthur, the eldest, loves to help people and form relationships with the delivery drivers. His passion and hope are to bring a Boxman to church one day and to be able to give a Bible study. Arthur is a natural leader who sets an example for his younger siblings.
Maxwell (affectionately called Mac) is the middle child with an inquisitive side. Mac likes to ask the delivery people questions and to pray with them, always keeping track of the prayer requests. Mac oversees the inventory of books and snacks.
Clara, the youngest member of Boxman ministry, always brings a smile to the Boxmen. She helps with the preparation of the bags and has been known to sneak a hand-made craft into the bag for an extra dose of love. Hardly anyone can refuse a Boxman bag from the sweet and smiling Clara who greets them at the door!
Over the past few years the Glasser children have had the opportunity to share truth-filled literature with countless people whose lives they’ve impacted in ways they may never know. At their local post office the kids gave a Steps to Christ to the postmaster, who read the book and then placed it out in the lobby for people to take, read, and return. One person who did so remarked when bringing it back, “This is the only way to heaven!”
One “Boxman” who had experienced the loss of his father was encouraged by the opportunity to share his prayer requests with the Glassers via e-mail, and was grateful for the prayers sent up on his behalf. Another young “Boxman” told the family about some of his struggles when he made a delivery for the first time to the Glasser home. On a subsequent visit, he recounted that his day had been brightened by his conversation with the kids on his first visit. Later, he shared about the experience on social media and also with his family.
But the reach of Boxman Ministry and the lives it touches isn’t just confined to the Glasser home and its surrounding community. Other kids are catching the vision too! One day their Glassers’ hearts were warmed as a surprise e-mail came from two newly-baptized kids in the Middle East who wanted to start a Boxman Ministry in Kuwait. Although they aren’t allowed to pass out Christian literature in that country, they were inspired by the Glasser kids to make some homemade cards telling people about the love of Jesus. And the idea is catching on in many other places as kids around the U.S. are getting inspired to start Boxman Ministries in their own homes and communities.
If you’ve ever been tempted to think that a 4-year-old, a 7-year-old, and an 8-year-old are too young to start a thriving ministry, just talk to Aric, Lisa, Arthur, Maxwell, and Clara, or any of the people who’ve been the happy recipients of “a book, a tract, and a snack!” If you do, you’re bound to be convinced that there’s no age limit on blessing others! And perhaps you’ll even be inspired to start a Boxman Ministry of your own. This ministry has certainly inspired me to keep a box of literature handy by our front door!
The Glasser family lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They are active members of ASI, and Aric serves the ASI Southwest Chapter as VP for Projects.
Pat Humphrey is the president of ASI Southwest. Pat serves as VP of Operations for Streams of Light International. She and her husband, Art, live in Rio Vista, Texas.