The idea came to me during staff worship a week or two
before Thanksgiving. We had been discussing helping those in need, and I
decided our school should host a holiday food drive. We put boxes in every
classroom and got the students involved. Food came pouring in. Lots of Spam and
various canned vegetables. (Cuz' nothing says happy holidays like a can of mechanically separated pork.) By the last day of school before Christmas break we had collected several
large boxes of food. On to step 2 of a food drive: passing along the donations to those who need it.
Quick flash back to a couple months ago. While standing in line at our bank, Jean (our school
registrar) and I made
friends with a lady who was standing in line with us. The lines here are
always long and slow, so we had plenty of time to become acquainted. Jillian is
a reporter at our news station, and since becoming friends with her on Facebook
she has become one of my sources for news on this island. About a week ago Jillian posted a tragic story. A mother and three kids had lost their home to a fire
that day and she was looking for help for them. After reading her post I got the family’s phone
number and called them up. The mother came by the office today to pick up a box of food. Just
before she arrived I printed out the last part of Matthew Ch. 6 on a card and put it in the box.
25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink,
and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more
important than what to eat and wear. 26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry
about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your
heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than they are.
27 Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field
lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was
not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for
flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t He more surely care for
you?
31-32 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and
clothing. For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned
about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need
them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life
and live as he wants you to.
34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of
your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.”
This afternoon I got a text from her thanking me again for the food, and also for the card. I didn't do much, I just shared some Bible verses I hoped would be encouraging. Her text told me that it had made a difference. They weren't just words, they were hope. It wasn't just a box of food, it was an answer to prayers. Its a blessing to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and this was by far the greatest gift I received this Christmas.
This last Tuesday (December 9th) was our CDC Christmas music program themed "Lets Dress Up For Christmas." Two days later we had our Elementary program, which we titled "Christmas Brings the World Together." My role each evening was to hand out the programs, take yearbook photos and run the bake sale booth. During each evening we sold a couple hundred dollars worth of baked goods and school calendars (which I designed and had printed). My roommate Carolyn and I baked a few dozen cookies and muffins for these programs. 
