The Currier Family: December 2013

We are (as always) SO EXCITED to have Brianna home!! She came home on the train with Erik- and Cameron was able to get some driving time in getting safely to the New Haven Amtrak station. :)
Snow came the next day and it was beautiful and fun! We had our first Hope for Kids board meeting on the night it was snowing. Erik and Cameron both shoveled a path to the church in the wildly falling snow. I'm not sure how often Erik's had to do that but he had a great attitude and even thought to shovel paths from the church door directly to each board member's car doors!

We were able to get a free pass to go to Bright Nights- a huge light display in a city park. We had wanted to go last year when Erik was visiting but never got around to it. So we made it a priority to go this time. Micah LOVED it and his laughter was so contagious!

We were thrilled that Erik was willing to be a part of delivering the Angel Tree gifts. At one home there was a little baby who could not take her eyes off him- it was precious! He also got involved in two events Matt had scheduled to speak to groups of kids. Erik helped act out a Christmas story that Brianna told and from what I hear, the kids were laughing A LOT. They loved it! He is such a good sport :) We really enjoyed his visit and were all sad to see him go.

What if I told you?
You have the power
To give someone hope
Far beyond their wildest dreams

What if I told you it’s right there in your hands?
In your hands

It's hard to imagine
How something so small
Can make all the difference
Tear down the tallest wall

What if December looked different this year?
What if we all just

Give this Christmas away
If there’s love in your heart
Don’t let it stay there
Give this Christmas away
And your life will be changed
By the gift you receive
When you give this Christmas away

It’s feeding the hungry
It’s serving the poor
It’s telling the orphan
You’re not forgotten anymore

It’s doing what love does
Even when no one’s watching you

Give this Christmas away
If there’s love in your heart
Don’t let it stay there
Give this Christmas away
And your life will be changed
By the gift you receive
When you give this Christmas away

For God so loved the world, He gave His only son
So we could be His hands, His feet, His love
His love

This song by Matthew West throws out a challenge. Our family accepted.

I am blogging out of order because something is so heavy on my heart if I don't call somebody (which I can't do because it is 6am!) or write about it I feel like my heart will burst.

Friday, Saturday, and yesterday we delivered gifts to children who have a father in prison. Every one of the deliveries has been something that has touched my heart- or wrecked it is more accurate!- but yesterday ruined me forever. I don't think I will ever be the same.

We got the name of a family with 6 kids and Matt attempted to call the mom to arrange a delivery of gifts. He could not get through. It was frustrating as we were trying to get all the deliveries done before Christmas Eve. Finally we made a connection. I talked to the mom and found out she and the kids were living in a hotel in the city. Matt, Brianna, and I loaded up an extra box with food. Some of the food was provided by a grant Walmart gave us and the other food items were from a rescue mission or from our family. Nothing could have prepared me for what was about to happen. It was raining steadily when we arrived at the sketchy looking hotel. We walked in with our boxes and the smell of smoke was strong. The place looked dirty. We walked to the second floor to the adjoining rooms this family shared. The mom had just left for something but the kids came out. They would not stop talking to us, asking us questions, telling us about themselves. Then the mom came. At that point we asked if we could come in and she said yes. We brought the boxes of food and gifts into a dark, small, smelly room and the kids were SO excited. They touched the gifts, gawked at the food, but most of all stayed close to Matt, Brianna, and I. When Matt started talking to them, the mom and 5 of the kids (the baby was sleeping) gathered around and watched Matt without saying a word. He began by sharing with them why we were there and then he told them he had brought something special for them. He pulled some wordless book bracelets out of his pocket and got down on one knee as he passed them out to the kids and their mom. One little girl's eyes got so big as she said, "Those are so beautiful!" They did not say ONE WORD (except to answer questions) as Matt went one color at a time and shared the Gospel. With the yellow bead that reminded them of the sun, Matt shared how God put that sun in the sky. They talked about how God made everything- he was engaging them in that and there was laughter as they revealed their favorite of God's animal creations. But when Matt told them that of all that God created, THEY were his most special of all........tears. I am not kidding. Mom and children began to weep. One girl leaned her head on Brianna's arm with tears running down her face. When Matt got to the red bead and shared with them that God had a special plan that would prevent them from the punishment of being separated from God and that plan was sending Jesus to die to take the punishment for their sins- there was a gasp. THEY HAD NEVER HEARD THAT. By the time he was done sharing the mom and kids wanted to accept. The 14 year old boy said to Matt, "There's nothing I'd rather do". It was hard to leave. We left them with ways to contact us and the promise that we would see them again. As we walked down the hallway of the hotel, doors were open and we could see into more dirty rooms that were filled with kids. We aren't done there. Aren't done at all.
We hope to go back to that hotel in the next couple of weeks with a team and do a Bible club. Matt is trying to contact a local church to see if they would be willing to go in there and try to develop relationships with these needy people, share Jesus with them, and do a "church" service there weekly. The need is overwhelmingly great.

I read Psalm 116 this morning and was reminded that the only reason I have anything at all to offer these people is because of what God has done for me. He saved me by His grace and lives in me. I am only an extension of that grace and of His love.

Please pray that God will ignite the hearts of His people in this area with a passion to reach these kids! We can't do it all on our own- there are too many. Praise God for two young adults who took some teenagers and delivered some of the gifts. Our Alissa went with them on one occasion and shared the Gospel with an 11 year old boy. Cameron shared the Gospel with a 7 year old girl. It has been amazing. Matt lead three moms to Jesus and their faces showed such sincerity and desperate need. People need Jesus.