Imagine giving birth to triplets. Then imagine raising them all by yourself because the father wanted no part of you or raising three young lives. To make matters worse, you receive no financial support and continue to have health related issues from the delivery of those tiny little babies.
Imagine thinking you’ve just finished raising your own child and then your younger, heroin addicted, sister gives birth to two baby boys and doesn’t want them. Then imagine after adopting these boys, who have complications from being poisoned in the womb, you literally get hit by a truck and can’t work full-time.
These two single moms are real. And we love them.
We met each mom, this past year, when they took parenting classes from us – Toddlerhood Transitions and Parenting from The Tree of Life. As many of you know, these parenting classes, while available to all parents, are typically attended by married couples. However, both these moms consistently attended our classes by themselves. This just speaks to the heart of these women. They both have the strong desire to better themselves, and their little families, despite the all the challenges they face on a daily basis.
With key couples from our church section community, we decided, in November, that we would try to bless these moms at Christmas and bring a bit of joy to their families. The mom with the two year old triplets spends the majority of her time, as you might suspect, at home. Her wish is to get out of the house with the triplets and enjoy experiences that she can’t afford and create treasures of the heart – like taking the triplets to the zoo. Our other mom, with two adopted boys, is having to make ends meet on $800.00 a month. While she struggles to put food on the table, creating treasures of the heart, let alone provide toys for her boys at Christmas, seems impossible.
Having these needs and desires in mind, we began promoting our “Christmas Box” at church three weeks ago. The idea was to collect donations in our Christmas Box for two weeks and then buy gifts for the children and a little something for the moms. Our hope and “realistic” goal was to receive $400, this would allow us to spend $200 on each family. Perhaps we could buy a zoo membership for the triplets and some toys that the adopted boys really wanted. And, with any additional funds, we thought we might be able to treat the moms to something special; something they wouldn’t do for themselves like a salon manicure.
December 3rd we were excited! This was our first opportunity to collect donations with our Christmas Box. We received $30.00. That was it. With only one other collection day left for our Christmas Box, we were a disappointed and discouraged to say the least.
Our last opportunity to collect donations was December 10th because the remaining few weeks of the year are devoted to our church’s Christmas program. With nearly all of the $400.00 left to collect, we went to church early and prayed that God would touch the hearts of our community and bless these single mom’s and their precious children.
After the service that last night, our Christmas Box overflowed with the generosity and love from our church section community! No, we did not collect our goal of $400. Rather, people, with open hearts, doubled our goal and we collected nearly $800 in our Christmas Box. Immediately, joy filled our hearts as we began thinking about all the extra things we were going to be able to provide. This was definitely going to help our moms make a special Christmas for their families!
But this wasn’t the end of the Christmas Box story. And God wasn’t finished working on hearts!
A few days after that last church service, Shelly received a phone call from some friends who have also lead parenting classes with us. These dear friends are, by no means, financially wealthy. In fact, the wife got laid off unexpectedly this fall and, like many of us, they are going through some trying personal challenges as well. Yet, in spite of their own situation and circumstances, the Lord touched and moved their hearts with the stories about our single moms. So they prayed… and a gave us a donation of nearly $3000.00.
What is Christmas about?
It’s about loving others and showing our children what that looks like. It’s about loving others more than we love ourselves in spite of our own situations and circumstances. It’s about showing a single mom with triplets and a single mom with two adopted boys what Jesus is all about.
Now to Him who by the power at work within us, is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21
On behalf of us and the Marrs, we hope you have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!
Shelly and Rich