A church in Georgia is helping to bring Christmas cheer to people in their community who cannot afford Christmas gifts for their children. According to WTOC, Compassion Christian Church hosted a free Christmas shopping event in which families were able to fill a stocking with gifts to wrap for their kids for Christmas. Pastor Harrison Huxford shared that the real gift given out to each family, however, is hope.
In festive decorated stockings, parents gathered toys from action figures and dolls to stuffed animals and books. With a stress-free shopping experience, parents were able to pick out the gifts they thought would be perfect for their children. This special experience makes gift-giving more personalized for each child instead of receiving a pre-selected gift that may or may not be something they would enjoy. Those who attended also received a free meal and even goodies for their pets.
Huxford shared that it brings church members joy to know that they can make a difference in someone’s life. Huxford said, “You know, as a church we kind of go, ‘Jesus loved everybody. Let’s just try and do what He did. Let’s just love like He loved. So, what I hope people take with them today is actually hope. Not just that they would receive hope but then carry it with them and take it wherever they go. It’s a joy for us to know that we can make a difference in a tangible way in our city.”
The church was able to help 200 families and around 700 children in need in their community thanks to this special Christmas event. The free Christmas store experience helped ring in the Christmas season and spirit with a unique experience that not only filled stockings with toys for kids, but also filled hearts with love. For all involved, the Christmas event brought everyone closer together, giving them hope and growing their faith.