The community of Hayneville Baptist Church is helping to give underprivileged children a Christmas to remember by making sure they have gifts to open Christmas morning. According to the Lowndes Signal, the church collected gifts for 17 families enrolled in the Lowndes County’s Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program who did not meet the deadline to apply for Toys for Tots. District Judge Adrian Johnson, who is the chairman of the deacons at Hayneville Baptist Church, shared that upon being asked by a Head Start representative to meet the needs of children in the HIPPY program, the church, having the goal to “help out whenever there’s a need,” agreed to gather their members together to contribute to the cause.
HIPPY coordinator Samita Jeter shared that there are 75 children from low-income families that participate in HIPPY, and for some, the gifts they receive from the church may be the only ones they get for Christmas. Jeter reached out to Judge Johnson because Hayneville Baptist Church had previously provided toys for the children, and she hoped they may be able to do it again.
Hayneville Baptist Ministry Assistant Stacy Casey shared, “it’s about sharing the love of Christ with our community and being a light when some children don’t have that kind of bright light in their lives […] We just want to share Jesus. We want to share His love and give back when we are so blessed. It’s just a small, simple way that we can help to bring joy.”
The members of Hayneville Baptist Church are practicing what it means to be faithful by giving to others what they are able. United in their belief of kindness and generosity, the congregation answered a plea for help and helped to make sure no child feels forgotten on Christmas. For the children in the HIPPY program, the gifts they will receive from the church are not just toys, but the gift of God’s love shining through the compassion of others.