Have you ever purchased a Christmas gift for a family member or friend and wondered, how long will that last? Young children can test the mettle of any toy and soon wheels fall off and flashing lights quit working. Electronics become obsolete. Clothes develop holes and stains. While given with the purest of intentions, most Christmas gifts just don’t last. What gift can we give that perseveres wear and tear? What gift can we offer that spans generations?
The Thanksgiving and Christmas season at Union Mission is always a very busy time. There are so many preparations made over the year that culminate at this point. The mission gives out thousands of pounds of food to families and food pantries throughout the state. We give toys to families who apply through our Family Services program. We give coats to those who can’t afford to buy their own. All of these items fade away as well. Food passes through the body. Toys and coats are soon discarded. Why do we continue?
The answer lies not in the gift itself, but in what surrounds the process of giving. At Union Mission, these gifts are not only given with the love of Jesus but also with the story of Jesus. The Good News is proclaimed while it is acted out through giving. Each can of food, each coat, each child’s toy all point to the love that God first gave us. This gift is where we place our hope and the basis of why we keep doing what we do at Union Mission.
The generational ramifications of this giving can be seen clearly in our addiction recovery programs. Our team keeps contact with clients who have graduated and moved on. We get to see and hear stories of how their lives are being rebuilt and physical and emotional wounds are being healed. One young man, years ago, came through our program as an addict, a thief, and a felon. Now, through the mercy of the Lord, he is married, has a beautiful daughter, a great job, and is leading others to Christ. The food, shelter, and instruction we gave him during his time in our program is having generational effects.
Union Mission cannot offer these gifts to our clients without the generosity of our donors. Your financial support is the ONLY way we can help the hurting people of West Virginia. Our fiscal year ends at the close of this month and we hope to end strong and on budget. Would you help us meet that goal? Your gift goes beyond the physical items that pass away. Your gift has generational and even eternal ramifications. May God bless you and may you have a very merry Christmas.
