News
From KAREN ADKINS Director of Social Ministry:
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Dear Christ Church Congregation Members, Over
300 Christ Church and community members worked together to help
75 families this Christmas. Christmas in the shelter and at
the Outreach Christmas party was a joyous celebration that warmed
many hearts due to the many wonderful gifts you donated. Thank
you for the wonderful toys, warm clothing and household items
for our families. Thanks to all of you who helped in some way
with our Outreach Program Christmas party.
We served 150 people dinner at the Outreach Party
and kept fifty children busy making crafts and shopping for
their moms while their mothers chose Christmas presents upstairs
in the toy store. All of these families have resided in our
homeless shelter in the past three years. They are living independently
in their own home now but they are very poor financially, struggling
to provide the basics that their children need. On Christmas
Eve, we delivered presents at midnight so our shelter residents
woke up to a tree surrounded by Christmas presents.
We received thank you notes that I would like
to share with you:
Several women from the outreach program wrote
a note together that said, “We want to thank you for making
it possible for our children to enjoy their holiday in a way
that would not have been possible without the much needed help
and wonderful gifts we received."
A mom wrote, “I would like to thank all those
who helped my family. We really liked all of our gifts and they
are things that we can really use. Thank you for helping and
caring for another family in need. I truly appreciate your kindness."
An older single woman in our program wrote “May
God bless all of you for the wonderful things you have done
for me. You all have made my Thanksgiving and Christmas a joyful
occasion. This is just to say thank you.”
The women in the shelter wrote the following
note, “We would like to thank all the people who made it possible
for us to have a truly wonderful Christmas. At midnight a group
of elves quietly tiptoed and placed a mountain of gifts under
our tree to unwrap on Christmas morning. We thank you from the
bottom of our hearts. Our children could not have had a better
time, and we are in awe of all the wonderful gifts you provided
for each of us.”
A shelter resident wrote, “Christmas was just
amazing. I just wanted to take the time to thank you for all
the gifts I received for Christmas. It was truly a surprise
for me. Being homeless is a new experience for me so I was not
expecting very much. We all woke up around 6a.m. Every child
and adult received a jumbo bag full of wrapped gifts. It was
fun watching others joyfully unwrap their presents and jump
around in excitement when they discovered it was what they asked
for. I am most grateful for the gift cards, robe, socks and
pajamas and the numerous other gifts I did not think to ask
for that were really needed. After opening our gifts we were
blessed with a lovely breakfast. After they finished serving
us they sat and chatted with us for a while. They ended their
time with us singing Christmas carols. I had such a wonderful
time on Christmas morning. It is truly an experience I will
never forget. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"
We are able to meet the needs of so many women
and children because all of us work together. The lives of
the homeless and destitute are made better because people reach
out in love to others, often people they will never know or
see, and share their good fortune.
May God bless you as you have blessed the lives
of others
~Karen
