For the Month of December our church has decided to give through the community each week leading up to Christmas. The first week, they provided meals to all the staff at the local hospital. The meals were brought in from various nice restaurants. They served 1500 meals during the week. The second week, the church had tables of gift cards $20 each to various business's such as Target, Subway, Casey''s, Dutch Oven, Perfect Games, Restaurants, etc. Each church member was to take a card and give it to someone who could really use it. Jake and I were there that Sunday and I took my card to give to a friend who has been making lots of hospital trips to St. Louis for her daughter. Jake was going to give his to a friend who needs money to buy gas just to get to school. He asked me if some people would keep it for themselves. I said, there might be a few, but they would feel the heavy guilt and most likely they wouldn't be able to. If they have a good heart, they would not even think twice. Or perhaps, they are the person that desperately needed the card. The third week at Cornerstone, the church gave gift bags to all the teachers of the schools in Ames, Huxley, Nevada, and Gilbert. I know they included chocolates and gift cards. Just another reason why I love my church and when I give, I know it is abundantly blessing so many others.
I write this not to boast, I want to show those that read this, how to be generous, how to put others first, how to care for those less fortunate. It is a Christian mission to give, love and serve others. God has created us to love our neighbor as ourselves and to have compassion.
In December, I felt God was calling me to do something to help adoption and foster families. I have a huge admiration for these families and their big hearts. Seeing that adoption is not something that our family will pursue, the next closest thing would be helping orphans and families that have or are adopting, and foster families who have brought children into their homes. They are making such a sacrifice to open their homes and hearts to these kids. I love adoption and can pour into others while supporting it.
I contacted our church asking if there are adoptive and foster families that we could help support in some way. I requested 3 families. The first family asked for shoes for her 5 children. She has been caring for the 5 while her husband has been deployed over 6 months. I loved picking out the little shoes for the kids and bought outfits, socks, and books for them as well. I also found something for mom. It warmed my heart to buy the little shoes and think of the kids who will be wearing them. As I read the description of the size of shoe and the child's favorite colors as given to me from the mom, it was as if each shoe was meant for that very child.
I waited until after Christmas to distribute some of the gifts and asked the church for a few more names of families. This time I put gift cards in an envelope. Gas car, Target, grocery, and Kohl's, each family receiving $200 total value in gift cards. I also put a scripture verse and some words of encouragement. I will pray for these families as well.
We continue to support two sponsor kids, Jean from Ghana, and Samuel in Uganda. These children are sponsored through our contribution and through Compassion and Hope Ministries. There is little personal relationship. We do send letters back and forth a few times per year. Samuel is much more personal in his letters, drawing pictures, asking and answering questions. One year he wrote a separate letter to each of us. Jean's letters are more generic and I sometimes wonder if he is getting our letters. In addition we support one child in Jamaica through the orphanage. Raymian, a child we met and enjoyed on our visit. He gets our support, however he does not know we are supporting him and there is no communication or interaction. Meeting Raymian when he was 7, seeing his smile and hearing him laugh was enough for me to want to support him as he grows. During the pandemic, it has to especially hard on these kids. Teams have not been able to travel and visit the orphanages. These kids so desperately need the love, interaction, support, and supplies. The least we can do is help financially.
In December, I felt God was calling me to do something to help adoption and foster families. I have a huge admiration for these families and their big hearts. Seeing that adoption is not something that our family will pursue, the next closest thing would be helping orphans and families that have or are adopting, and foster families who have brought children into their homes. They are making such a sacrifice to open their homes and hearts to these kids. I love adoption and can pour into others while supporting it.
I contacted our church asking if there are adoptive and foster families that we could help support in some way. I requested 3 families. The first family asked for shoes for her 5 children. She has been caring for the 5 while her husband has been deployed over 6 months. I loved picking out the little shoes for the kids and bought outfits, socks, and books for them as well. I also found something for mom. It warmed my heart to buy the little shoes and think of the kids who will be wearing them. As I read the description of the size of shoe and the child's favorite colors as given to me from the mom, it was as if each shoe was meant for that very child.
I waited until after Christmas to distribute some of the gifts and asked the church for a few more names of families. This time I put gift cards in an envelope. Gas car, Target, grocery, and Kohl's, each family receiving $200 total value in gift cards. I also put a scripture verse and some words of encouragement. I will pray for these families as well.
We continue to support two sponsor kids, Jean from Ghana, and Samuel in Uganda. These children are sponsored through our contribution and through Compassion and Hope Ministries. There is little personal relationship. We do send letters back and forth a few times per year. Samuel is much more personal in his letters, drawing pictures, asking and answering questions. One year he wrote a separate letter to each of us. Jean's letters are more generic and I sometimes wonder if he is getting our letters. In addition we support one child in Jamaica through the orphanage. Raymian, a child we met and enjoyed on our visit. He gets our support, however he does not know we are supporting him and there is no communication or interaction. Meeting Raymian when he was 7, seeing his smile and hearing him laugh was enough for me to want to support him as he grows. During the pandemic, it has to especially hard on these kids. Teams have not been able to travel and visit the orphanages. These kids so desperately need the love, interaction, support, and supplies. The least we can do is help financially.
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