“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.” – Acts 4:32

Depending on where you stacked up in terms of age and stature among your relatives, hand-me-downs may have played a large role in your early years. It’s a joy that’s reflected on both sides of the relationship. There’s a certain pleasure in seeing a younger relative proudly wearing a favorite shirt of yours from years past; there’s also the special attachment on the part of the younger sibling to the toys that once belonged to an older sibling. The value in hand-me-downs comes not only from the extended lifetime of a particular item, but also from the unique connection that occurs when something is passed down from one person to another.[slideshow=94] Hand-me-downs are a way of life in the WELS Thailand Mission, but it goes well beyond the sharing of outgrown clothes or play toys. The curriculum of the “It Is Finished” Lutheran Bible Institute and Seminary in Chiang Mai is designed in such a way that makes use of the hand-me-down principle. For example, older students become the teachers for the newest students in the basic catechism classes. This frees up time for professors to prepare and teach more in-depth Bible coursework at seminary level, and it gives the older students the opportunity to review their basic catechismal studies while they gain practical experience in teaching it.This same hand-me-down principle has been utilized with success in other areas of student development as well. After completing coursework in various computer office programs, the students are assigned as teachers to their peers. By spending hours upon hours teaching chords and playing technique, students have also handed down to one another valuable skills in playing a variety of musical instruments.The exciting part of the equation is that the hand-me- downs haven’t ended there. As part of their own initiative, Bible Institute students are teaching music lessons to community members as a form of outreach at the church. These contacts, most of whom are area high school students, may come to learn guitar, keyboard, or another instrument, but in the process they develop trusted relationships with Christian young adults who have something even more important to share.The results give reason to celebrate. Weekly attendance at Sunday worship has noticeably increased — not surprisingly, many of the newcomers are those already coming for music instruction. On a recent Saturday evening, Promise Church’s Valentine’s Day outreach party drew in a crowd of around seventy people. The event was an opportunity for the young musicians to perform musical pieces they had prepared under the instruction of the Bible Institute students; of course, the Gospel message of God’s love handed to the world through Jesus Christ was also shared. Praise the Lord for hand-me-downs of all sorts — but namely His love and grace to us, which we can’t help but share with all those around us!