On March 1, Liberty University Convocation was blessed to host Stephen Curry, NBA basketball player, Emmanuel Nitbonera, part of the Nitbonera Foundation, and Coseezy, founder of Kick’N It. LU partnered with these three men to provide over 20,000 sneakers for children in the Congo who die every day from diseases that could be prevented by adequate footwear. I was excited to donate a pair of gently worn shoes that I found at Good Will which only cost me $2.10, but that I knew would save the life of one of God’s creations. Seeing so many other people also wholeheartedly donating new and gently used shoes was an incredible experience. LU rode the high for days on social media and we all felt like good Christians reflecting our Savior.

But we cannot let that one Convo be the only time we scream “Jesus loves you” without words.

It’s easy to say “Jesus loves you” without words by fulfilling a need that will give someone the opportunity to verbally share the Gospel when the biggest Christian university in the world makes a party out of it. When we get to scream as Steph Curry makes a three-pointer in one of our baskets, when we get to hear the personal testimony of someone from the Congo, when there’s fun music and thousands of others packaging shoes, we want to put our faith into actions.

But what about the rest of the year?

One answer is CSER. We’re all required to do 20 hours of Christian/community service per semester, which is a great way to share the Gospel through words and actions. However, we’re not being Champions for Christ if we just do the minimum required of us. As Christian, we should be going above and beyond the expected status quo. And here are five organizations we can work with to do just that:

1. Blue Ridge Area Foodbank

Sometimes college students have a lot of free time. It seems we can always manage to find the time to watch another episode on Netflix or go to Snow Flex with our friends. Maybe, instead of throwing all those extra minutes into leisure we do all the time, take some time to volunteer at the Blue Ridge Area Foodbank. You’d be helping families in the area we live in for most of the year. Or, if you’re one of the ferociously busy college students, you can always donate a few dollars or a few items.

2. Living Bread Ministries

If you want to help a local Christian ministry that has global impact, Living Bread  is great. They’re located in central Virginia, but donating school supplies, food, or money to them means that thousands of people around the world can be fed, go to school, or hear the Gospel. This is perfect if you don’t have the time or money for an international mission trip, but you still want to help the nations.

3. Comfort Cases

Comfort Cases helps foster children in the D.C area by providing them with backpacks and comfort supplies so that not only they will have personal belongings, but they will have something besides a trash bag to carry them in. Jesus told us to help care for orphans, and since most of us are too young or poor to foster/adopt, Comfort Cases gives us the opportunity to care for them by addressing their needs. If you have the time and a lot of helpful friends, you can host a Packing Party to assemble Comfort Cases. However, quick physical donations like we did for the Nitbonera Foundaion with Kick’n It can also be made. Honestly, they’re asking for some pretty cheap stuff: toothpaste, crayons, and stuffed animals can all be found at the dollar store and would mean so much to children finding a home.

4. Comfort Zone Camps

Disclaimer: this one takes A LOT of time (a whole weekend, depending on how you volunteer). Comfort Zone Camps are bereavement camps for kids age 7-17. They are free and offer support for grieving children so that they can lead fulfilling lives. The closest Comfort Zone Camp to Liberty is in Richmond, which is two hours away, and although being a Big Buddy mentor would require six hours of training and giving up a weekend, I cannot think of a more honorable way to spend a few days than helping a grieving child come to life again.

5. Greater Richmond SCAN

SCAN stands for Stop Child Abuse Now, and they are a local nonprofit seeking to prevent and treat child abuse, specifically in the greater Richmond area. Child abuse is a problem, and as Christians we are supposed to stand for the abused and the voiceless. Sometimes, though, we have no idea how to stop abuse or how be a voice for someone, especially if we don’t know anyone currently in those situations. However, we can help an organization that knows what to do. SCAN has a volunteer application if you wish to donate your time, a wish list of items that most of us are already buying anyways (cereal bars and paper clips are just two examples), and a list of monetary suggestions that describe what can be done with the amount you give ($10 can feed a child breakfast and lunch for a week at their pre-school).

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Christians have been criticized for being pro-birth instead of pro-life, but several of these organizations can help care for the lives of the babies we often march to save. Even if that means nothing to you, at least ask yourself why you’re at this university. Is it to push yourself and grow? Then go above and beyond with your time and/or your finances. Jesus didn’t just preach: He healed, He fed, He cared. I just gave you five ways you can care for the people around us. Pick one and start; don’t let that one Convo with the lit dude from Kick’n It be the only way you share Christ.