An Act Of Kindness That Needs To Be Told

A few months ago our family asked if they could send money to support a Sub-For-Santa project. We were very touched with the offer.  When we saw how much money they had collected, we were very humbled.  What a wonderful family!

We have hesitated to tell the world of their generous act, not wanting them to receive only the "glory of men" and "have no reward of their Father which is in heaven." (see Matthew 6:1-4) But then the light dawned: THEY wouldn't be doing the telling, WE would do the telling.... so their heavenly reward is safe.

Below is a letter we sent to our family. 

"Dear Family,

Thank you again for your generosity in meeting some of the Filipino families’ needs.  It has helped bring the Spirit of Christmas into our December.  Also, thank you for helping fill my need for shopping.  I was having shopping withdrawal symptoms and needed a healthy shopping fix. But it meant muscling my way through large throngs of Christmas shoppers who live by different crowd rules than Americans.  But we won’t go there! I don’t want to ruin the spirit of this letter.  :(   However, the clerks were very friendly, helpful, and fun.  J

 We divided your resources among two wards.  The Bacarra Ward requested clothes for four of their needy families.  T-shirts and basketball-type shorts for the boys, t-shirts and plaid shorts for the girls, plus a few dresses.  In addition to the clothes, we bought each of the children either a small activity set of some kind or a board game.  Hmm, does “Snakes And Ladders” sound vaguely familiar?  How about “Scramble”?

 

 

 

 

 

The baby received diapers, a new outfit, and a xylophone to drive his parents crazy.  Each of the mothers was given a new blouse.  The men were given a new polo shirt…. And one of the men received a new pair of shorts. Each family received a framed temple picture. I also made 3 of the families flannel kits consisting of a flannel board, a flannel nativity set, a flannel Bible story, and some Book of Mormon flannel stories. The fourth family didn’t qualify, since their only daughter is 16 years old.  We gave her a head flashlight and lots of extra batteries to help her study after dark. They have no electricity.  She studies by the light of a candle.  BUT they DO have a cement floor! The relief society president and the Bacarra elders helped us deliver everything on Friday.  They carried the gifts to the houses while your dad & I hid in the car.

 Bishop Agustin of the Laoag 4^th Ward requested that six of his poorer families received food.  We bought them canned tuna, large bags of rice, cooking oil, canned pineapple, boxes of milk, laundry detergent, soy sauce, and pancit noodles.  We also threw in temple pictures. We delivered their goodies on Saturday and drove, and drove, and drove some more!  I didn’t know there were so many rice fields on the outskirts of Laoag!  I wish I had taken my camera to take a picture of Bishop Agustin and Sister Agustin picking their way through a rice field on their way to make a delivery…Sister Agustin with a 10 kilo bag of rice perched on her head.  They would both return to the car all sweaty and puffing, while your dad & I sat all calm, cool, and collected.

 Both the Bacarra Ward deliverers and the Agustins reported how appreciative everyone was of their gifts.  What a rewarding couple of weeks.  I hope I have conveyed enough details of the whole experience to help you feel the same spirit of giving that your dad & I feel.  You are such a great family!  Thank you again, for making 10 families very happy.  We love you very much!

 All our love,  Dad and Mom"

 

We have the most unselfish, loving, kind, Gospel-living family ever! We love them and miss them very much.

 

Elder and Sister Eddington