We had a fabulous Christmas Tea for our December meeting, and despite all of the chaois and frustrations, the meeting was a huge success. Many women were touched by the speaker's encouraging words to share our testimony with others during the holiday season, as well as those we may meet out and about with our children. Our silent raffle blew us away with raising over $700 for our ministry. Considering we raised just shy of $300 last year, we were blown away with the figures this year.
Being made aware of some families in need the week previous, we as a planning committee had decided to donate some of those funds to those families. What an honor and blessing it was to be able to give to them above and beyond our wildest imaginations!
As our meeting closed we were approached by a church staff member, asking if anyone of us had any diapers to spare. Evidently a family in need had been brought to the church and were in need of diapers. Knowing our room was full of mothers – she came to ask for some assistance. Unfortunately all of our diaper bags were with our children in the other building, so we were at a loss. Having just raised so much money with our silent auction, we were just going to have someone run to Target to get some diapers for the family. I’m not really sure how, but I ended up going to meet with the mother and her three children – all of whom had been living out of her car for the last 4 weeks. As I met with the mother, and talked with the children, my heart couldn’t help but break for them, and my mind couldn’t stop racing of ways in which our moms’ ministry could assist them. It was clearly the hand of God that had brought them to church at that specific time: a time when 80+ moms had just met and brought in food, toys, and clothes. Three necessities that this family clearly needed.
We brought the children into our meeting hall to find some food for them, and to help them pick out toys from our Freecycle tables. As they ate and played the mothers of our group helped wipe them off, and gave of their own children’s shoes to replace the worn shoes. As I sat back and watched I couldn’t help but take a mental picture of my friends crying over these little children as they washed their feet. What an awesome picture mirroring the many stories of those who had washed the Savior’s feet.
As I ran to go pick up my own children from the nursery I couldn’t help but love on them and cherish their hugs! We headed straight to Target and picked out some diapers, clothes, and other necessities for our new friends, and returned to church to deliver our ‘presents’ for them. It was a wonderful lesson for Nathan to witness, and I honestly believe he understood the he was helping these friends.
After delivering our presents we headed home, mommy crying all the way. Nathan and I talked thru the story, and we thanked God for our home as we pulled in the garage. Poor Drew was sound asleep as we arrived home, and Nathan helped me unload the car from the meeting (which was quite the feat). While unloading Nathan discovered a pirate ship I had picked out for Drew from our Freecycle table. I informed him that I was going to wrap it up and give it to Drew for Christmas, and that he couldn’t play with it right then. He very quickly responded that he wanted to give it to Drew, and would wrap it himself. My heart melted, and I quickly got the wrapping paper, tape and scissors for him. With some help from mommy, he wrapped his present for his brother.
Being able to help this family was an incredible lesson and privilege,
and to see it’s affect on my 3 year old was awesome!
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