Angel Tree

I need to blog.

My entire world the past month has been the Angel Tree at church.

I had this grand idea to sponsor the Candor Head Start for Christmas - not just the children of Head Start, but every child in that child's family, as well as the staff members and their children. It started off with the 60+ kids involved in Head Start, but then how could we give one child in the family Christmas and not the others? And then how could we give the children Christmas but not show the staff our appreciation? It became very grandiose and turned into almost 100 families.

In the beginning (when we were doing 60 kids) I just knew our church could handle it. We have almost 200 members so 60 seemed like such a small amount. But for some reason, as the number of people we were sponsoring grew, so did my doubts.

I will write a long blog about this and a whole Fed By Faith update at some point... it will include the kind of blessings you just have to shake your head about when you think of them:

• people from another church donating so many toys it overflowed in my car (a church that doesn't even know us!)
• same said church donating cash
• people donating money specifically for winter coats for the children
• people sending socks specifically for the children
• people in my family (who don't go to our church) sponsoring children
• all the church members who took 1 name, 2 names, 4 names...
• church members who consistently shock me by slipping me a check, or all the money from their wallet, or $100 bills
• the church giving me free reign over this project
• people babysitting the kids so I can go on shopping sprees
• people who stay out at the church late at night with me going through presents, unwrapped toys, sorting and figuring out all the chaos!
• people who take the time to say they appreciate what I am doing
• people who bring in a staggering amount of gifts for children who may not receive anything else for Christmas...

If it were up to me I would sponsor every child in this county. Oh sure, I know they don't all need it, but I want to make sure not one child goes without a gift. Fortunately most places like Head Starts are sponsored by organizations or churches. We were fortunate to hook up with one that did not have a sponsor. I hope we can do more for them in the future.

I know I am forgetting lots of things, it is midnight and I am buzzing around like a bee to get things done while my beautiful family sleeps. :) So hopefully I will remember when I write the long blog about this.