Smiles for Seniors

Saturday morning was spent volunteering with a local organization I found online called Smiles for Seniors. We met up with a big group of people and visited 2 different nursing homes in the area delivering Christmas stockings and presents for all the residents. Over 160 in total! I had talked to Emma about how Christmas is really a birthday party for Jesus and how we should celebrate by helping other people. Karen & I also told the kids how there are many "grandmas and grandpas" who don't have anyone to come visit them at Christmas time so this was why were going to visit and sing carols and give hugs. Emma was very into it before we got there, telling her cousins how "the old people need hugs to be happy for Christmas." Then we got there and I think some of the tubes and wires and wheelchairs were a bit intimidating. She was actually the youngest volunteer there, but she did pretty well none the less. She wasn't comfortable giving out too many hugs, but she did well with smiling, high-5s, and delivering packages to the residents who were unable to come to the common rooms. After we finished handing out all the gifts we joined everyone for a pizza party at the local pizzaria. This was a great way to spend the morning and, hopefully, the little ones got something out of it.

*The next to last picture is of a man named Ben. He asked for a chance to talk to all of us volunteers before we left. He thanked us, on behalf of all the residents, and talked about how blessed they all are to have food to eat and a warm place to stay where they are safe. Then he got choked up and told us about how good GOD is and how amazing it was that we all took time on a Saturday morning to bring them presents. He told us that these would be the only gifts many of them would get this year and how few of them had family who would come to visit. He told us that we were a blessing and thanked us for not forgetting about them. By the time he was done, there wasn't a dry eye in the house... even cynical mine were tearing up. I think most of it went over Emma's & TJ's heads, but I know Mikayla, Karen, & I heard him loud & clear. And THIS was the Christmas message I was hoping the kids would learn...