Update Tuesday 20/12/11

"You know, not to put you on the spot or anything, but this (blanket) and the twenty bucks someone gave me the other day are the only two gifts I've been given in five years."

- Rick (a bottle collector from the beer store)

Outreach Update:

Some of our team on our way to Gore Park.

A small sampling of the hundreds of blankets we collected with the help of friends and family around the region.

They didn't last long here on the steps!

A few of our new friends.

Here is a heart and message my wife sewed on many of the blankets including the ones I handed out to my friends on Monday morning at the Beer Store.

Jim

Jim and Kim

The first blanket we handed out.

These are just a few shots from my friend Cheri that capture a bit of what we have been up to the last week.  There wasn't a whole lot of time for snapping shots between serving, sharing and praying but these show a bit.  

• They don't capture my spare room which was wall to wall blankets about 3ft deep.
• They don't capture all our friends spreading out to walk the downtown core in search of those in need.
• They don't cover the tears in John's eyes, coffee shaking in his twisted arthritic hand as he shared about his addicted son, nor the prayers from Louise standing next to his wheel chair hand gently on his shoulder.
• They don't capture the hours of preparation as Maria prepared sandwiches, Annabelle prepared cupcakes and Michael and Annabelle organized blanket drives.    
• They don't capture the time and energy invested by friends and family like you who continue to hold us in prayer, support our ministry and give generously so that events like this are made possible.

         For those you will just have to use your imagination...I can just say that they were pretty amazing things to behold. 

In total we served over 40 blankets, sandwiches and cupcakes, some coats and even some hats and mitts (off the hands and feet of our volunteers), and numerous cups of coffee.  We have also been able to supply a number of shelters with blankets and bedding for those that they will continue to serve as well as holding some back for our next event.   It was also moving for me to see the friends and family that I walk with interacting and serving our city neighbours with such love and compassion in the name of Jesus. 
From those of us at the Hamilton Fellowships, let me express our heartfelt thanks for those of you who continue to walk with us and let me wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  We pray that the Light that came into the world at this time so many years ago, might come into our hearts in a fresh way again this season, that we would seek to be a foretaste of the coming kingdom as we wait expectantly for the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus, his promised return.