"Sixty-One"

Sixty-One has become a great number for me this Christmas Season.  Sixty-One has significance, in fact, great significance because of its impact on others.  But let me digress some before springing the sixty-one on you.

In the summer of 2010, the EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church) had service projects in place for groups in the eastern mountains of Kentucky.  Our youth group from HOPE went on a mission trip for a week to help with projects on homes for those in need.  While there in Menifee County Kentucky, we developed a relationship with a local organization called Project Worth.

After the summer 0f 2011 the EPC moved on from that area and offering service projects for groups, but HOPE continued our relationship with Project Worth.  We had grown to love the people there and had developed long lasting relationships.  We also had seen first hand much of the poverty in that area of Kentucky.  Over the next few years a group from HOPE traveled up to Project Worth to lead a summer VBS for the children in the area.  As with most service projects/mission trips, I think we were blessed more than we blessed them.

We have also continued over the years to provided school supplies and backpacks in August for the children of Project Worth families and in December to provide Shoebox gift packages for the children.  We have been told many times that for most of these children who come to the Project Worth Christmas Party and receive these shoeboxes, this is the only present they will receive.  I remember our first Christmas sending shoeboxes, it broke our heart to hear that this might be the case.  Our first year we collected 18 shoeboxes and sent them to Project Worth.  The number has gone up some over the past few years.  Last year, in 2016, we sent 36 shoeboxes for their Christmas Party.  That was the most we had ever sent.  The HOPE Congregation stepped up.

So back to “Sixty-One”.   Our Children’s Director at HOPE Church Raleigh contacted the Director of Project Worth the first of November of this year to find out when the Project Worth Christmas Party was going to be held and what the need was for this year.  The Director told her that she would send a list of ages broken down by gender the next day.  Our Children’s Director received that email and here is the breakdown of need.  Boys, age 2 to 12, twenty-seven.  Girls, age 2 to 12, thirty-four and that folks totals “Sixty-One.”  Sixty-One!  Our Director at HOPE asked me, can we do that?  That is a big leap from 36 to 61!  Can we?  I said, “YES, we can!”

HOPE Church Raleigh stepped up and sixty-one children on December 15th will receive a shoeboxes full of goodies and in many cases, will be their only gift of the Christmas Season.  

I am so grateful and blessed to serve a congregation that continually looks to bless others as need arises.

As the boxes have been coming in this past week to be wrapped and shipped to Project Worth, I thought of that first Christmas morning.  We often demonize the Innkeeper of Bethlehem.  Why didn’t he provide better accommodations for the pregnant mother of Jesus?  Couldn’t he have done something better than give her a manger and a stall?  But think about it.  Other places that were full had turned them away, but not this Innkeeper.  He provided the very place for the birth of the Savior of the world.  “And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7  The innkeeper stepped up.  He saw a need and fulfilled it in the best manner he could.

I pray that as we continue to move towards Christmas Day this year, that our eyes will be open and our hearts prepared to bless others as God presents these opportunities.  He will present them, maybe not sixty-one of them, but if only one, that is your one to take on!

Blessings to you all,                                                                                    

Pastor Marty Duffell-Pastor, HOPE Church Raleigh       

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