Fall Kids Mall Wow!!
Well if you are wondering what FKM is it was started last year and I was drove to be part of the committee! It is simply taking pre-k through 5th grade and letting them pick out 7 pairs of socks, and undies, 3 brand new nice shirts and 1 spirit shirt (tigers or noble wildcats) and 2 pair of pants that get tailored on site if needed, a bag of toiletries (toothbrush,toothpaste,soap,shampoo, deodorant if needed etc) and this year BRAND NEW SHOES!!!
This whole experience is heartwarming,exciting,and emotionally a little draining! An all around awesome thing I am proud to be part of!!!
A committee member shared some of her experiences with us through an e-mail and here are a few things she had to say
God is good all the time! All the time God is good!
Shopping day 2010 was amazing!!!
Statistically, we served 238 children. Up from 110 in 2009. The weather was beautiful, although a bit warm in the afternoon. Our last volunteers left the church at 5:30 p.m. ending an almost 11 hour day.
Statistics aside though, yesterday made a difference. I know because it made it made a difference in me.
There were moments of laughter because of a child's excitement or words, there were moments that brought tears.
One mom, with pride in her heart and tears in her eyes handed me a $5 bill and said that she just wanted to make a donation, maybe for next year. She said we had no idea how much the new clothes and shoes meant to her and her little boy.The last shopping buddy I had for the day was a 5 year old little girl. She sang and talked while she dressed in the dressing room. She danced and posed when she stood in front of the mirror. Her joy, excitement and beauty could light up New York for a night, I am quite certain. Her new red shirt that "shines when she moves" paled in comparison to the glitter in her eyes. It was an honor for me to meet and serve this beautiful child.
These were my moments. I'll bet every volunteer has at least one they could share.Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who supports Fall Kids Mall and makes moments like these possible!!There are a million specific thank you's we should say today to volunteers, seamstresses, businesses, churches, the DJ, even the port-a-potty guy, but maybe we can think of them all tomorrow. Today, my heart is too full to think.
God is good all the time. All the time God is good.
Father Jerry said Sunday in church What is the ultimate treasure in life? To some people it is thier big screen, or thier cars or thier fancy houses, to others it is thier family, and friends. In all reality the ultimate treasure should be your faith and your faith in the Lord because without it you don't have your talents that bring you your riches that in turn will help those less fortunate or those in need due to hard times. I think to myself sometimes of how I work hard and I deserve more. Then I see or help out or hear a story and realize how lucky I am. These kids Saturday did no wrong and know no different but were so excited to get nice underwear or a new pink toothbrush! I had one little boy that just picked out his shoes and came and showed me and said look I got a pair of Reebok's!! These are so expensive and I actually got a pair wow!! One child went in the shoe room looked around and said oh my I can't take a pair of these they are to expensive but thank you anyways. Overwhelming to grasp that there are kids out there that have nothing. It just puts my life into perspective and makes me take two steps back and think how good I have it. My ultimate treasure is to praise the good Lord and continue to help do his work and try to make the world a better place. If everyone could just touch the life of one child wouldn't it make a little bit of difference? Not to sound like to big of a "holy roller" as Brad says but it is just how I feel and I know that I am not perfect and how I have greedy thoughts but I am only human as we all are, but it does make me feel like a better person when I do help someone out. So what is your ultimate treasure in life?
