4 minute read
100 Kids Enjoy Christmas With Appalachian Ministries
Words can't describe how touching it is to hand-pick Christmas gifts for local children you spend time with week after week and watch them tear into the packages with uncontained glee. This year, Appalachian Ministries (AM) had enough funding to provide approximately 100 local children with hygiene items, coats, toboggans, gloves, and toys for Christmas.
It's humbling to see a little girl raise a bottle of three-in-one shampoo/ conditioner/body wash above her head and shout in excitement like she's just won tickets to Disneyworld.
One boy made the AM students laugh when he opened his Minecraft package and shouted for all to hear, "YES! I GOT STEVE!" Many of the children immediately donned the coats, hats, and gloves they received, even though they were still indoors. Who doesn't like a spontaneous fashion show? The AM students had asked the children to fill out Christmas wishlists so they could find gifts the children would truly want and coats that were the proper sizes. The children's joy when they received gifts they had been hoping for made the hours of shopping and giftwrapping well worth it.
"To be able to provide these kids with things they need that they may not even have at home is very humbling and breaks my heart even more for them. It was a very wonderful experience as well as a big learning one," said Becky Kersey, a sophomore who is one of the AM leaders at the Corbin Manor site. "The process was stressful at times because we were racing the clock and juggling people's schedules to get the shopping and wrapping done, but it was honestly really fun too! In addition to the gifts, we bought plates, pizza, cookies and icing, and other things like that so we could have a full Christmas party. The kids loved it!"
The Christmas parties took place in the first few weeks of December, while the AM students were finishing their fall classes. The annual parties are always a highlight for both the children and the college students. The children are shown God's love through hand-picked gifts, and the students learn the time management skills it takes to prepare for the party, as well as the warmth and joy that comes from giving to others.
"The AM Christmas celebration is something the students and kids look forward to every year," said Caitlyn Howell, AM director. "One thing that I always take away from it is the awareness the college students have of needs. The kids are very excited for their toys, but they are also excited for the hygiene items and coats. This always has a lasting impact on the college students' awareness of the needs of the people around them. That is probably my favorite thing about this event."
One event can teach its participants valuable lessons that will last a lifetime. Lord willing, the children who came to the Christmas party and received hand-picked Christmas gifts learned the value of showing love to others and – most important – learned that God is the true source of love and joy. At the same time, the college students learned how to be even better vessels of God's love to the people around them. Lessons like that change a person's outlook forever.
For now, the AM team is busy planning summer activities and visiting the AM sites every week to stay connected with the families there. The events might seem small, just a craft and a song here and a Christmas party there. But the love shown to these children will benefit them forever.
