OIAM 2007

"...Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Matthew 25:40

Saturday morning we all dressed in our matching blue t-shirts and headed into town to church. That's right, on Saturday. That was the day for our annual Operation Inasmuch, where teams go out all over the area and complete projects for those in need. The recipients range from low-income or disabled families, to summer camps, to hospitals, even the Salvation Army. We started out the morning with a good breakfast and a group picture. Uncle Bill was visiting from San Diego so he jumped right in. The kids were so happy to see him! Will had to sit right next to him, and Katherine just could not stop hugging on him!

There are so many good projects each year. In the past I've always participated in the sewing project - at first out of a need to be at church and closer my kids, but then later because I enjoyed that more than gardening and painting! The first year that I participated we made over 60 sundresses and 45 pairs of shorts to send to Yetebon, Ethiopia for students at a school sponsored by Project Mercy. Then last year we made over 65 lap quilts for a local nursing home. This year's sewing project was to make 44 pairs of curtains for a local summer camp for children with special needs.

I did not get to work on that project. Instead I helped facilitate the Youth Department's project, which did involve some sewing. They were making little teddy bears to donate to the local police department. The police officers will then use those bears to comfort the young children whom they encounter in their work.

Because they wanted to be able to finish the project in one day and they wanted to make 75 bears, we had to get the bears sewn prior to Saturday's blitz. Luckily we have some very handy and willing women who volunteered to sew the bears ahead of time. That way the youth had only to decorate, stuff, sew up, and attach a card to each bear. They dove right into the decorating of the bears. I had assumed that they would draw on a face and be done with it. I was taken aback when I saw their intricate creations. They all put so much effort into their work.

The bear project was done before lunch,* but luckily the Youth Minister had something else lined up to keep them busy! After cleaning up the bear mess, the youth made goody bags for the officers. Once that task was complete, they ran around the building playing sardines until it was time for their break-the-fast meal.

*The Youth were participating in World Vision's 30-hour famine this weekend so they did not get to eat the yummy breakfast or lunch. They did however break their fast with a meal of pizza and junk food...everything a youth could want in a meal - pizza, soda, candy, dessert, and even veggies!