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Cover Article
“Partners In Showing Love"
Marilyn, Carolyn, Holly and Deck - these are names of heroes
from recent days at the Mission. Marilyn is a social worker with a medical
company, many of whose patients are in great need financially. For a good many
years, she has worked with us at the Mission in locating families in crisis for
us to help. I never talk to Marilyn but that she overflows with gratitude for
our assistance for her clients. Her heart of love for others abounds and runs
over in demonstrations of kindness.
Carolyn directs a local church’s ministry that provides
assistance to needy families, sharing many large items like beds, sofas, and
such. They do a good many more things in blessing less fortunate people with
material goods and the gospel all year long. We have known and worked with
Carolyn for many years also, and she guides us to people in need that we may be
able to bless them also.
At Thanksgiving and Christmas these ladies each showed up at
PRM to transport things we had prepared to their respective clients. What a
blessing to have friends like this who are touching lives, and what a joy to
partner with them in so doing.
Holly and Deck are representative of folks who work on the
supply side of these ventures. Holly works in a medical facility, and she and
her co-workers make an “angel tree” for folks to select names from to buy gifts
at Christmas. This past year they took a family with three children, and boy,
did they go all out! Those three children were blessed with a wonderful array of
gifts, which their Mom picked up the Wednesday before Christmas (in a service
where she heard the gospel in the Christmas story).
Deck called about helping a family, and we discussed several
possibilities. When I described one family where the Dad is a veteran, he
immediately said, “Give me that one - I want to help the Veteran!” My heart was
thrilled with his expressed desire. So he and his family shopped for the two
children, beautifully wrapped the gifts, and brought them to us the Sunday
before Christmas. He even engaged some neighbors of his who decided to do the
same when they heard Deck’s story! That’s what I call “spreading the love.”
John wrote (1 John 3:17), “whoever has the world's goods, and
beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love
of God abide in him?” We do not have to wonder if the folks mentioned here have
God’s love in their heart - it is evident that they do! Solomon wrote this on
the subject, (Prov 19:17) “He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD,
And He will repay him for his good deed.” Always the practical preacher, James
wrote (2:15, 16) “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of
daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’
and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is
that?” Once again, our friends do not have a useless religion; their faith is
evident in their works.
People often kindly comment to us about what a good work we
do here at PRM, and we appreciate such kind remarks. Understand, however, we do
not do what we do alone. We are supported in prayer, gifts, volunteer assistance
and much more by a host of friends. God uses them as surely as He uses us, and
we are partners together with God and with them.
Superintendent's
Corner
"Ways to Show Love"
Love is not in the “saying” as much as it is in the
“doing.” Words speak, and they are important, but actions drown them out with
their volume. This past Fall and Winter several things happened that literally
shouted “ I love you!” Our annual effort to provide the “fixings” for several
hundred people in nearly 200 families was a huge demonstration of love on the
part of God’s people. One group bought all the butter for the boxes; other folks
donated money to buy the turkeys; still others donated thousands of cans of food
to make up the balance of the meal. On the Monday of Thanksgiving week a host of
volunteers descended on us to show their love by putting together the nicest
food boxes we have ever done! A good many people assisted us in getting these
meals into the hands of the families, another display of love.
Over a period of several weeks, preparations for the next big event included
gathering new toys and clothes for over 130 children for Christmas. There was
interviewing and screening of the applicants (mothers), our effort make sure the
most deserving homes receive the gifts. On Dec 20, forty-six(!) volunteers
showed up to work on this mammoth project (it is more difficult than the
Thanksgiving work because the children are of many different ages and sizes).
What love and care they exhibited as they sought out the appropriate age level
toys and the right size clothes for each boy and girl.
Three of our ladies then examined each of the 260+ bags to see what might be
lacking to make them the best we can. They made lists for shopping to supplement
where needed, and then they went off to shop for the final items to fill up the
bags. That’s quite a job, as the children range from the cradle to age 18.
Games, toys, jeans, tops, hygiene items, all helped finish the job. The shopping
was done with money donated specifically for that purpose.
With each of those projects there is a chapel service here at the Mission,
giving us a last opportunity to share Christ with the Moms and Grand-moms. At
Thanksgiving, two dear ladies trusted Jesus as their Savior during that chapel
service! What a thrill it was to share Christ’s love in the gospel with them -
what joy to have them indicate their desire to know Him Who died for them! At
the Christmas service, six more responded to the invitation to receive Christ as
Savior. Clearly the greatest expression of love was God’s, Who “so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.” Thanks for your love, shown by caring
and sharing to help us help others day after day, all throughout the year. God
bless you.
A Note From Alan
"Demonstrations of Love"
February is now upon us, and the stores are decorated in
red and pink – reminding us to spend as much money as necessary to demonstrate
our love to those who are special to us. Certainly there's nothing wrong with
giving a gift to a loved one, but the commercialism behind it seems to give it a
hollow ring.
During the months of November and December we have the privilege of reaching out
into the community to help with Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas gifts. This
has been done for years, but this past holiday season stood out to me above the
others. Here is why…
We all know the economy is bad. Many have lost jobs and many more are unsure
about their jobs in the months to come. Because of these uncertainties, money is
being spent perhaps more cautiously than ever before. I wondered if we would be
able to offer help to as many families as in years past due to more limited
resources.
I should not have doubted! The demonstration of love by God's people certainly
did not ring hollow!!! This year we provided 183 Thanksgiving baskets (they're
actually boxes) to families. We had more baskets to fill, more donated food
items to pack into them, and more volunteer help than ever before!!
Christmas was a similar story. This year the children's bags were running over –
several actually ripped because they were so full!! Again, we had so many
donated clothing items, toys, and games, and over 40 volunteers helping to put
them together!!
Proverbs 19:17 says, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will
reward him for what he has done.” What a tremendous challenge to each of us and
what a wonderful promise from our Lord!! Many thanks to all who helped us make
the holidays special for so many families!! We were awed at your generosity to
those in need and your trust in God as you sacrificially gave. Thank you for
your demonstration of love!!!!
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