By Joe Rector
I swore that Saturday morning would be the time I slept in and took the entire day easy. I hate it when I lie to myself like that.
Amy had signed up to help our church, Beaver Ridge United Methodist, the church at the red light in Karns, distribute bags at the middle school. What we all forget is that many children return to school with a sense of doom. The same old clothes and shoes are available; the year will begin with those young ones having to ask for a sheet of paper or pencil or box of crayons. Many won’t even have a backpack to carry their textbooks, homework, and other necessities from class to class.
Several members of our church decided again this year that for some students, that wasn’t going to happen. Working with the middle school, folks identified children who needed a boost. That was all that needed to be said to the congregation. For each child, an entire 30-gallon garbage bag was filled with school supplies, clothing, and hygiene products.
In another room, females were given the chance to choose undergarments that actually fit and made them feel better. A large paper bag was given to each child; that bag had a variety of healthy and tasty snacks. In the hallway, a young stylist stood ready to cut the hair of children and adults.
In one corner of the school library, members of Ball Camp Baptist Church set up tables and piled them high with pizzas. Children and adults could grab plates and stack them high with slices of delicious food.
The entire event was low-key. Most of the church people from both congregations were “old geezers” who’d been through parenting with their children and grandchildren. Something happens when old and young meet. We oldsters try to be entertaining and interested. We speak a bit softer and listen much more carefully. The younger ones are quieter as well, and they remained respectful to us senior citizens.
I watched one tiny girl. She was going into the second grade but looked much younger. As she eyed the bounty of her big black bag, she exclaimed, “I got a new pair of shoes!” This old man teared up at the sound of those words. She also looked in amazement as several new clothing outfits were pulled from the bag. A new backpack, water bottle, and lunchbox were inside as well.
The little girl’s sister opened her bag. She might have been entering sixth grade. The first thing she pulled out was a pink backpack. A smile crossed her lips, and she marveled that personal items for a girl her age were also inside. Items were chosen specifically for the recipients, and Christmas came on August 8 for them.
The stylist cut hair for any child who wanted a trim or full cut. In fact, she worked on a woman who had not had a hair appointment in years. Carefully, the young girl worked to untangle knots and shape hair to give a brighter look to every face. The woman who’d gone so long without a day at a salon looked at herself at the end and exclaimed, “I’m pretty!’
In the end, no one left unhappy or empty-handed. Ball Camp Baptist sent families home with pizza for supper. They cleaned up the area and left it in tip-top shape. The members made families comfortable and made sure they left full and satisfied.
On August 8, BRUMC and BCBC spent maybe three or four hours making the lives of community members better. Those who planned the event and bought the items and separated them out into proper bags must have been exhausted. We who carried bags in and greeted folks were far from tired. Our lives had been blessed with the chance to do something for those who needed a little help.
Get this! For this project, Methodists and Baptists worked together. I didn’t notice a hint of difference in the appearance of the two groups. I did, however, see the love that people had for those who needed a hand. Most would classify these two churches as small, but the work they did was enormous. It’s never the size of a dog but the size of the fight in the dog. Two small churches reached out to answer the prayers and needs of people in their community. They took to heart the meaning of Christ’s words:
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Imagine the great accomplishments that could come if Democrats and Republicans heeded these words.
