Dear friends, since God loved us that
much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we
love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in
us.
1 John 4:11-12
Love drifted down
today in silvery flakes. It twinkled and swirled in the air just above the
heads of over four hundred children. Love’s whisper softly brushed the faces
of almost one hundred adults.
Love wafted in
gentle voices. It rang out in glee-filled laughter. Love cascaded in the mixed
voice of grateful and polite children. It swirled around the hearts of those
who came to serve.
Love was spread
today, first as icing on cookies and then as the sweet covering of newly formed
relationships. It bubbled up in fun games and shared stories. It multiplied as
childish hands and hearts created festive cards to pass along to those they
loved.
Love grew today.
Adult’s hearts expanded as they reached out with selfless dedication to
envelope children not their own. Children’s hearts expanded, nourished by the
love so freely given.
If you were one
of the more than 175 adults who took part in Wildwood Winter Wonderland, The
Chapel’s outreach to an elementary school, then you were both a giver and a
beneficiary of the love. If this blog is your first introduction to the events
of this day, then a few details will help you understand.
The Chapel in
Baton Rouge hosted a Christmas party for an entire school today, sending teams
of three volunteers into each classroom to do simultaneous parties throughout
the school—and giving the teacher a break. It required almost a hundred adults
to work with the children. An almost equal number of volunteers worked behind
the scenes yesterday, assembling supplies and setting the stage.
One team of
volunteers worked at the school last night to create the winter wonderland that
greeted the children as they arrived for school. Paper snowflakes hung from
trees outside, so that the children were given a hint of what was in store.
Inside the school, the ceiling of every hallway was covered with various shapes
and sizes of glittering snowflakes that hung low enough to be just above the
head of an elementary child.
Earlier yesterday
another team of volunteers worked for hours to assemble and pack the party
supplies into bags and boxes. They counted out cotton balls and placed them in
individual cups for one game. Spoons, straws, paper plates were sorted, counted
and bagged per classroom. The game with M&M’s required a different set of
cups. There were sugar cookies to be counted and packaged, along with icing and
knives and sprinkles and whatever other goodies went on top. Then there were
the craft supplies. Each box was labeled and had the exact number of supplies
needed for the students in that classroom.
Hosting a party
for so many children is not an easy task—especially this time of the year.
Volunteers took time off from work to be in the classrooms today. Others missed
dinner with their families last night. Many set aside other Christmas chores. They
braved a light rain and impending cold. I didn’t hear a single complaint about
the sacrifices that were made. This was a labor of love.
When you take
into account God is their Father, their outpouring of love only make sense.
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