UWC Children’s Ministries
This Mother’s Day the kids in the United Wesleyan Children’s Ministries chose a different activity than usual. They created 100 Help Bags! These kids completed the bags in record time — about 15 minutes for all 100! The bags the UWC kids created will be passed out this Wednesday with the help of Here To Their, at Nexus Church’s Breakfast.
Click any of the thumbnail pictures below to see larger pics of the kids working hard under the supervision of Ms. Selina.
Love Mercy ’09
Tomorrow will be day one of two that the Wesleyan teens taking part in the Love Mercy youth convention will have the opportunity to make a Help Bag themselves. They’ll see the seemingly unimportant items that are packed in them and hear a few stories about the lives of the people they have touched.
When I was writing some notes of what to share with them I was reminded that this is all because I listened to God. Its so hard in this crazy time to be still and listen. Even harder to not blow it off or try to bargain your way out of real work or commitment. I am so thankful every day since Help Bags was born this year that God has let me see His hand at work thru these little bags.
I have received support from those I never would have guessed would be a part of it. I truly learned what priorities and scheduling is all about. I juggle a full time job, school at night, Help Bags and still have to eeek out time for the world’s most patient and understanding boyfriend.
I have also been shown how much I have and that material things mean so little at the end of the day.
I hope these teens see for a second what God will do thru us if we give Him half a chance. I feel so blessed and honored everyday that he thinks enough of me to let me do Help Bags in His name.
To all of you amazing people who donated – thank you! Who knows what will come from these kids – I am betting a lot more than we could ever dream. Remember them in your prayers and those without a bed to sleep in tonite as well…
Together we really are helping the homeless one Bag at a time!
CP MOMMIES FUNDRAISER EVENT POSTPONED
The Central Piedmont Mommies fundraiser to benefit Help Bags at United Wesleyan Church has been postponed due to weather conditions. An early January date is being looked at and I will post new date asap when scheduled. A huge thank you going out to Shay, Brandy and all the hard working vendors and mommies for all the effort they put into this event!!! I so appreciate you all!!! It’ll rock in January!!!!!
I need Your help please
Love Mercy 09 is just around the corner and 700 teens will hopefully have the chance to create a Help Bag prior to starting their prayer walk around the streets of Charlotte. We need a lot of supplies but the biggest need right now is hand warmers ( or toe warmers) and men’s white tube socks.
Today I went to Big Lots and hit the mother load on snacks for the bags! 33 cents for snap open fruit cups!!! ( the snap top is important – no need for a can opener) And socks at Big Lots are 6 pair for $3.88.
We all feel the pinch during the holidays, but if you feel that you are blessed enough to donate towards Help Bags it will be sooo appreciated! Below are the exact counts of what is needed to make it to the goal of 700 Help Bags on the last week of December. There is also a Sponsor a Bag section located in the green ‘donate‘ tab to your right. You can sponsor a specified number of Help Bags. Contact me locally for product donations and I would be happy to pick them up from you!
Gallon sized Ziploc Bags – 329 needed
Mens white tube socks – 444 pair needed
Individually wrapped Tylenol- 277 needed
Band-aids- plenty on hand
Wipes- 411 needed
Individually wrapped Crackers (like Lance)- plenty on hand
Non-cracker snacks ( raisins, snap top fruit cups, snap top tuna, etc) – 257 needed
Hand (or toe) warmers- 564 needed
All is made possible thru God and if the 700 bags are meant to be than they will happen. Please let me know of you can help Help Bags : )
Have a great night!!
One goal down…..One big one to go
The 275 Help Bags have finally made their way to the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte’s Statesville campus ( formerly known as the Charlotte Men’s Emergency Shelter). My contact Kris Thorpe was so excited to receive them and is getting ready to distribute the bags when they pass out nightly bedding to each man. Her great personality and smile surely brings happiness to the men who call this place home on any night.
Now this year’s last goal is a month away. The 700 fast approaches and I will be tallying up all the needed item counts over the weekend. Please keep the Love Mercy ’09 700 Help Bag goal in your prayers – I would love for all the kids to have the opportunity to participate.
275 of the 700 Help Bags will be going immediately to Kris and our new friends at the Men’s Shelter. The others are going to be distributed to our contacts across 4 counties including our friends at neXus Church. All this will take place on or around New Years weekend 2010! Whoooo hoooo
Have a great holiday!!!
CPM’s Rock
It took about half an hour for the CPM’s that came out to United Wesleyan tonite to pack 200 Help Bags!! That is quite impressive team work!
The Help Bags created tonite with an additional 75 are going to be headed to the Emergency Men’s Shelter very soon. That is 275 people that will have snacks, socks, heat packs and the knowledge that someone out there cares!
Thanks so much for all the donations and support tonite ladies!!
The Holidays…..
There is so much going on with Help Bags for the holidays and you can be involved!!
Near Thanksgiving Help Bags will distribute a total of 275 bags to the Emergency Men’s Shelter in Charlotte, NC. The shelter houses an average of 275 men per night but in the coldest winter months the number has gone above 300. The shelter opens in the evening, provides a hot meal and shower to those calling it home that night and in the morning provides a breakfast at 7am as they leave to face the day.
Employees of Wachovia provided me an amazing opportunity to be able to get these Help Bags to those in need. I am very grateful to the generous participants for keeping Help Bags in their hearts. It was a surprise that left me filled with tears of joy and thankfulness from so many people I used to work side by side everyday! The most sincere thanks to all involved! You have no idea the number of lives you personally touched with your gift.
Monday November 9th Central Piedmont Mommies ( the coolest mommies around!) will be meeting at United Wesleyan Church at 7pm to begin assembling the first of the Emergency Shelter bags. What an amazing gift to be given that many helpful hands!! Thanks Mommies!!!
On to December and Help Bags is participating in the biggest event to date!! Wesleyan teens from all over are going to pour into Charlotte to participate for Love Mercy ’09. December 28-30th 700 teenagers – yeah SEVEN HUNDRED are going to be emerged in “Three intense days of powerful speakers, artists and community focused on pursuing God’s call for their lives and expressing worship for our Savior Jesus Christ.”
The goal is for each teen to make 1 Help Bag before beginning their prayer walk around the city of Charlotte, no doubt seeing face to face some of the individuals that will be in receipt of their Help Bag they just created. It promises to be an amazing experience!! I can’t wait! http://mywycon.com/
At present time I am confident I can somehow come up with half of the products needed to meet the 700 goal – I am quite a bargain shopper : ) I am going to be relying on God, friends and supporters for the rest. I don’t feel anxious over it as I feel this is something that is meant to be and I’m quite confident it will all be provided somehow – it’s too important to think it wont be. It’s allllll about faith!! It’s taken me a while but I have finally figured it out…
The holidays are fast approaching and I wish you all happy, safe days with your family and friends!!
Women never waste anything
Sometimes things are donated that don’t actually go in official Help Bags but are still a needed item. Items that are liquid especially I fear adding to the bags for fear they will open and a whole bag will go to waste.
Today at neXus 40 bonus bags will be distributed filled with these items- like rain ponchos, shampoo, lotion ( a big fav btw), soap, toothbrushes and small toothpastes just to name a few. and a lot of other… things. Nothing is ever wasted or not distributed.
Thank you for allllll the donations and your generous hearts!!
SEPTEMBER GOLD STAR OF THE MONTH
Help Bags recognizes a person or group every month that made a huge difference in Helping us get out there and assist those in need. Go to the red ‘about us‘ tab, click on ‘great contributors‘ and see who this month Gold Star is. Thanks so much to evvvvery one who has contributed items, funds, prayers and support! Together we really are Helping the homeless one Bag at a time!!! And a special thanks going out to those CPM’s – you mommies are the awesome!!
Return to Focus
I was reminded today by someone I barely know of why Help Bags is so important and why they were began. I saw the anger and frustration in someone else’s eyes at the transparency those who are less fortunate than us somehow acquire too often when their needs are too inconvenient for us at that moment. It should be so basic – I have more than I need and you have nothing so I should give some of mine to you. We all, me included, get wrapped up in material items and check book balances and not having the spare time to help someone in need. Lets be honest – stop right now and look around you. You have a lot of material stuff you don’t need…. the bills will get paid sooner or later … and there is always a few minutes in the day to do just a little something for someone else.
I estimate 80 Help Bags will be assembled this weekend. That is 80 lives that will be touched due totally to someone’s generosity. A Ziploc bag of 2 snacks, 2 Band-aids, a moist napkin, Tylenol and a pair of socks – would that make a difference in your life today if someone handed that to you? Probably not – but it will to 80 people in the coming days.
If you want a Help Bag to keep in your purse or backpack just contact me and I will get you one to have on hand. You’ll see first hand that one little bag can make a difference and that we really are Helping the homeless one Bag at a time.
Have a safe night everyone!!