MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD

   

     We stood in the middle of the Salvation Army warehouse before an avalanche of Christmas gifts.  Games, bicycles, clothes, stuffed animals, books, electronic devices, and toys—goodness, did all of these gifts come from our church? 

        The Salvation Army staff could not express enough gratitude.  “You are our angels,” they said.  “God has used you to bless so many others.”  “Thank you so much for all you have done.” 

        Last month at a Ministers’ Meeting the Salvation Army leaders poured their hearts out to us, telling us about the overwhelming needs facing our county.  They told us the requests for help this Christmas were almost double.  “We need 1,660 Christmas Angels,” they said.  A Christmas Angel is a child who would not have anything for Christmas without help from the Salvation Army.

        I kept thinking about almost 1,700 children who would not even have a toy for Christmas if we didn’t help.  And these were just the families that took the initiative to register with the Salvation Army—my soul, how many others must be out there?

        I couldn’t get those children off of my mind.  How could we celebrate Jesus’ birth and enjoy Christmas with our families knowing about all of these families who would have nothing.  Little children will wake up on Christmas morning to learn the harsh truth that Santa Claus did not come. 

        I called the Salvation Army and talked to them about the process of adopting the angels.  How many should I get, I wondered?   Could our church be responsible for 50?  75? More?  I talked to a couple of people and then decided to step out on faith.  I would get 100 angels and challenge our church to adopt all 100 in a worship service. 

        On November 20, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, all 100 Angels were arranged on a table in the Sanctuary.  I challenged the church to adopt the 100 angels.  At the conclusion of the service, people swarmed the table.  By the time I returned from the vestibule, 98 angels had been adopted!  And the other 2 were adopted that night at Deacons’ meeting.  Monday morning I went back to the Salvation Army and got 20 more angels.  They were all gone by Thanksgiving Eve plus 19 Christmas stockings. 

Yesterday was the deadline for bringing the gifts and by the time the Chili Luncheon was over, the stage in the Fellowship Hall was packed, overflowing with Christmas joy.  This morning a number of volunteers gathered all the gifts, marked them off our list, and carried them to the warehouse on South Main Street. 

        As I was leaving one of the staff members told me, “Your church adopted more angels than any other church or group in the county.”   I believe we have made a big difference for a lot of families in our area.  I am grateful for the generosity and love my church demonstrated.   God is good . . . All the Time!

        Why are these families in such great need?  Many have lost jobs.  Some have been devastated by a medical crisis.  We have homeless families from the recent tornado.  Others have lost their homes to fire and had no insurance.   There are a multitude of reasons. 

        But couldn’t some of these parents get out of the house and find a job?  Yes, I’m sure some can—but whenever I start thinking about irresponsible parents, I remember something that happened to me a number of years ago.

        Late one afternoon I was getting ready to go home when a man stopped me getting into my truck.  He told me that he had small children and a baby, and they didn’t have food to eat.  He asked for money.

        We don’t give people money, for any reason.  But while I didn’t really want to take the time to deal with these people, the thought of a hungry baby motivated me to change my plans.  I took the family to Food Lion and went with them to purchase baby food and supplies.  Then I made arrangements for the entire family to have a meal in a local restaurant.  I helped the father get the groceries into the car and showed him the restaurant.  He didn’t even say thank-you.  I had a few unkind thoughts about that rascal.   

        I was going to get back in my truck, thinking about how ungrateful the guy was when I heard a voice.  “Hey Mister!”

        I turned around to see a little boy, maybe 9 or 10, sticking his head out of the back window of the car.  I walked over to him and the little boy said, “Me and my sister are mighty hungry.  I just want to thank you for what you did.”  And he stuck his little hand out for me to shake it. 

        God taught me a lesson that day.  Children don’t choose their parents.  They can’t help the situation they are in.  But we can help them.  On Christmas morning, there will be joy and delight in the eyes of many children who normally don’t have any joy.   Thank you First Baptist Family!  You have made a difference in the lives of God’s children.

        “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did it for me.”   Matthew 25: 40.

(Individuals in the picture from left to right are Ray, Johnny Beck, Joyce, Debbie and Callie Auman.  We had a number of others who helped us, but they had already unloaded their gifts and departed)