Christmas is usually full of hustle and bustle, big crowds and packed schedules… but the Lord had other plans for us this year! It would be easy to look at all of the suffering and change this year has held and be discouraged, and we’ve definitely experienced those moments, but by God’s grace, He’s taught us to shift our focus away from our “ruined” plans and ask Him what He’s doing in the midst of the struggles we face. Christmas in the Village has been a perfect example for us of the good that can come from holding our plans loosely and adjusting when the Lord redirects us.
Instead of filling the Treehouse over a weekend with 100+ volunteers and 100+ families, we spread Christmas in the Village out over 6 days this year. No more than 2 families entered the store at one time and volunteers served from the outside this year, dropping off toys and treats to bless us from a safe distance. Slowing down to prioritize the safety of our community from further COVID-19 damage also allowed us to slow down and connect deeper with our neighbors. Oak Tree staff were able to help each parent shop intentionally for their children, offer prayer, and hear how God has been at work even through the difficulty of 2020. The Holy Spirit was at work offering mutual encouragement and joy as we reconnected with families in person after so many months distanced. Parents even started a “pay it forward” chain of blessing the next shopper with a surprise payment towards their gifts when they went under budget! Generosity and gratitude flowed through the Treehouse each day.
If you’re new around here and not familiar with what Christmas in the Village is, you can check our previous blog posts at the links below to learn more about our model!
We are more convinced than ever before of the importance of changing the way we do charity and learning how we can better work towards justice, together. There are no simple answers, we don’t claim to be experts or believe Christmas in the Village is the final result, but it’s a start. We’re committed to learning and doing better each year!
Despite the financial hardships on so many this year, we had far more toys come in than we’ve ever had; but even with your generosity, a few times throughout the week we still ran out of toys! Each time God provided as supporters like you re-stocked us for the next families to come and shop! Whenever we were in doubt we paused to remember the abundant provision that has gotten us this far.
This year has definitely been different, in some bad ways but also in some very very good ways. We praise the Lord that He is always inviting us to grow in faith through our trials; and 2020 has had no lack of opportunity for us to be stretched and matured! As we enter a new year and the next season of ministry, we pray that we will never forget the lessons we’ve learned throughout the “longest year.”
From the Oak Tree Family to You, Merry Christmas!
We cannot thank you enough for your continual support that makes all of our work possible! We pray each of you have a beautiful holiday season reflecting on the gift of our Lord stepping into our pain and offering us ultimate healing.