Military Moment

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas our Sunday School class collected donations to assemble five care packages for service members currently deployed. We also mentioned the collection to the church at large (It's a very small church, not quite 100 members.). We were overwhelmingly surprised with the incredible outpouring of gifts from everyone. We sent five extra large care packages just in time for Christmas. Over the last few weeks we have received several emails expressing gratitude for these gifts.

Today Pete and I participated in a brief recognition moment in which we shared some of these kind words with the congregation. Below is a brief excerpt of one of the emails we shared.

We passed out clothes, shoes, coal (for cooking) and anything else we had from donations. The items we get from the US are really making a difference and I personally put these things into the hands of people desperately trying to survive. It was heart wrenching. The picture of the girl was a special moment during the visit to the refugee camp: There were children everywhere begging for anything, crying, hungry... And in the middle of the shoe distrubution was this 12-13 year old girl. She clearly didn't belong in the camp and yet there she was living in horrible conditions with everyone else. No telling what had happened to her family to place them in this refugee camp. Instead of shouting and fighting to get anything she could she just stood quietly in line hoping to get a pair of shoes. She was shivering, bare footed and had her hands in her jacket pocket trying to keep warm. If anyone in uniform stuck their hand in their pockets the children came running. No matter what came out of that pocket, candy, a small stuffed toy, whatever it was they wanted it. It was a mob-scene and the children were like animals at times fighting each other for anything. One time I made the mistake of kneeling down to give a piece of candy to a little boy that was just standing there crying and I was instantly mobbed, it was horribly hard: children crying and fighting to get anything you had in your hand. I had a little zip-lock bag filled with candy in my pocket that I hadn't given away yet. This little girl just looked at me and smiled so sweetly.... there in the middle of the freezing mud, sewage, and horrible conditions she just smiled quietly. I stepped next to her and she looked right into my eyes. I pulled the plastic bag out of my pocket in such a way that even she didn't see it and I stuffed it into her hand in her jacket pocket. At that moment she turned sideways, never taking her eyes off me... Most people were giving out food and candy one piece at a time and I had just filled her pocket with one motion. She didn't dare take it out to look at it because it would have been instantly taken from her by all the other children but she knew what I had done. She got her shoes and I never saw her after that. The crowd got violent and we had to depart before we gave all the shoes away but we did give away hundreds of items of clothing, hygiene products, socks, blankets.. you name it and we handed it out. There was still not enough for everyone and some people didn't get anything. That was hard too. We will be back when we get enough to hand out again. Last night that little girl slept on the frozen muddy ground under a sheet of plastic...

We never stopped to realize the magnitude of a care package. Sure, we knew the recepients would share with others, but we never pictured moments like the one above. I can't put into words the true emotions in the sanctuary today. People sat so still - some just listening, others wiping tears (not mentioning any names), others nodding in agreement.

At the end of the service, one of the members requested that we all sing God Bless America. That had to be one of the most incredible, impromptu happenings that I have ever witnessed. I always enjoy those special Sundays (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Veteran's Day) where we recognize men/women in uniform, but to see these people recognize the sacrifices of our military on what seemed to be just an ordinary Sunday warmed my heart.

Immediately after the service, people wanted to know when we were sending the next boxes and exactly what they could bring. In a time when negativity seems to be the predominant tone, how refreshing and empowering to see geniune love, care, and concern. We are blessed to be surrounded by such phenomenal people. For that, we are sincerely thankful!!