What is the connection between a father in Wales and Iolas Tracy Keagle?
Read on.
Each Christmas millions of kids living in unfortunate circumstances awaken on Christmas morning with nothing but a mythical lump of coal.
The Welshman had traveled in Romania and saw the suffering of children in orphanages. He was so touched that in 1990 he organized what has become the annual distribution of Christmas shoeboxes.
That first year, a truck loaded with good cheer rumbled through Romania delivering toys and games, socks and gloves you get the idea packed in shoeboxes labeled boy or girl. The concept quickly spread to other Eastern European countries and took on a worldwide presence when Franklin Graham, Billys son, and his Samaritans Purse ministry became involved in 1995.
To date, 150 million gift-filled shoeboxes have been distributed in over 100 countries.
The past several years Ive seen how the joy of giving, through the shoebox ministry, has affected a clutch of girls in Humboldt.
When our twin granddaughters were in fifth grade, Beverly and their mother, Melanie Johnson, started a Bible study for them and their friends.
From year one they enthusiastically embraced the Samaritans Purse project. They recently gathered for their seventh year to pack gifts for children unknown. When finished, 27 shoeboxes bulging with love were ready for shipping.
The aim of the shoebox ministry is to remind children throughout the world there are folks elsewhere who care about them.
We have much the same thing locally in Tracys Humanity House. However, its focus is on all 12 months of the year for the very young to elderly, our friends and neighbors and many others who have eclectic needs foisted on them by povertys dark and ominous presence. Too often we dont understand or fail to accept because of ill-conceived notions not everyone lives in a warm home or has ample food.
Particularly at Christmastime, kids suffer because they are aware of what others receive; the parents suffer at the distress of not being able to do more for their children.
It doesnt have to be that way.
Tracy and her band of elves work tirelessly, not only at Christmastime but throughout the year, to make better the lives of those with less, little or next to nothing.
Doing it alone is beyond her scope and that of volunteers. They need help financially and through eager hands to provide gifts for such children and to make Christmas dinner more than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Let the Christmas spirit guide you to give to others, people you may not know but whose lives are brightened by knowing someone cares. Then, let that spirit of giving be infectious enough to carry on through all 12 months of the year.
Give what you can not until it hurts but until it feels good through Humanity House, or other local venues of the similar missions.
As Tracy often says, kindness matters.
To support Humanity Houses efforts stop by 110 East St. or call 620-380-6664.
