A Jesus Errand

Someone said a picture is worth a thousand words. I agree. I'm not going to write a great deal, but you can see a lot through the pictures. It was a blessed day.

The children and adults of Galloway have the opportunity throughout the year to earn "points" by doing projects for the missionaries there. They do things like clean up their town and help out around the Baptist Church and the missionaries home. They save their points all year long to buy Christmas gifts at the Christmas Store. If not for this opportunity most of these families would have nothing on Christmas morning.

 

The day we went was the day the children come to redeem their points. They were so precious! They would make a list of all the family members that they wanted to buy presents for.  We would then walk around with them and help them choose their presents. After they had chosen a gift for each person on their list we would ask them if they wanted to buy something for themselves so they would have something to unwrap on Christmas morning. They would excitedly pick out something that they wanted for Christmas. After they have chosen all their gifts, they go to the wrapping station where volunteers help wrap their gifts, so they are all ready for Christmas

 

One young man stood out to me in particular. He was just 13, and had earned 70 points throughout the year. When he came to the "store" to buy his gifts he wouldn't come in. He insisted that his mom and little sister go in to pick out his gifts for him. His mom, wanting to be sure he had a gift to open, picked out a couple of things for him. As I was helping them wrap their gifts this manboy came in to see what had been purchased. He was quite upset that they had chosen anything for him. He stated that he intended his points to be used so his little brothers and sisters would have something on Christmas morning, and that he didn't want anything for himself. This child is fatherless as many of the children that come through the store are, and yet he is somehow learning to be a man.

 

I was humbled to see that these children who don't know much about Jesus are sometimes better examples of Him then I am. Most of them were way more concerned about gifts for others then they were about gifts for themselves. They know the odds. There's been giftless Christmases before. Still they choose that mom, sister, brother receive something special for Christmas from them before they think of themselves. All I could do as they walked out with their sacks of presents was wish them a Merry Christmas and remind them that Jesus loves them. And how He does! Jesus hasn't forgotten the forgotten. And we can't either. It's OK to be Jesus Crazy.

 

 

Note - The only way the ministry in Galloway can provide this Christmas Store is through the generosity of churches and individuals. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, you can reach them at:

 

Ronnie & Karen Grunewald

P.O. Box 284

Galloway, TN 38036

901-229-3595

 

or Becky Jackman

901-229-0100