Bring joy and make them smile

By Cindy Stump

For the past four years, the members at First United Methodist Church in Noblesville, Ind., have helped the staff at Indiana United Methodist Children's Home in Lebanon make Christmas special for the children and youth living there. The home serves more than 165 children each year by providing them with food, shelter, clothing, counseling and education. As victims of neglect, abandonment and abuse the individual care and loving environment at the home is a beacon of hope for these often forgotten children.

Each year Noblesville First helps the home by providing Christmas presents for all of the children. After each child is asked, "what do you want for Christmas?" three gift tags per child are prepared, sent to the church and placed on a tree. Noblesville First members take the tags and make Christmas wishes come true.

One couple negotiated a dream of a deal then purchased a new, top of the line cotton candy machine for the home to use at their festivals and celebrations. Three friends enjoyed hunting through countless stores for the exact pair of red tennis shoes one young woman couldn't live without. Another family spent Thanksgiving weekend scouring the Internet in search of the hard-to-find youth-size Dallas Clark Colts jersey that a certain boy just had to have.

Once the fun is done an endless parade of gifts is hand delivered to the Children's Home staff who take the baton and do their part to ensure each child has everything he or she asked for under the tree on Christmas morning.

For more information, log on to http://childrenshome.net.

Last updated on 25 Apr 2008

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