Angel Tree - Salvation Army

This is a picture of my buddy Joe Bagley a few years ago. Once or twice a year during the Christmas season we all head down to the Christmas Center for the Salvation Army and serve the families there through their Angel Tree Program. What an exerience it is every year - especially for our families who come and serve together and our students who really get the concept that these families we are serving... the children would not otherwise get anything unless they were part of this program. Its an amazing evening for sure. Tonight, in honor of Joe and his family who served so passionatly to this outreach - we will once again head back to Charlotte and be a part of this. My dear friend Shelley makes all kinds of arrangements for us as a church to have our own time there and even spends a few hours of her own time helping us with directions and vision of what actually takes place there in that old Walmart. 1850 bikes for kids will be sent home to children - tons of donated and adopted Angels begin to fill the floor space... it is something to see. I plan on going back this year to check out the pickup days when the families come and get their gifts -many are in tears, many cannot even speak they are so overwhelmed with emotion and when they spin the big wheel to see if they win a bike - its like being on a game show and with each bike win - there is cheering throughout the building. I pray like crazy for this experience to really hit people, especially our children and our teenagers - they have so much and so much to be thankful for. Changed lives begin to shape on evening like this as we focus outward on others and more important things other than our selves and our struggles. I will post some follow up thoughts after tonight's experience.