Morning Thought Monday February 9^th 2009.

Good morning. In December a group of nine of us from the island were privileged to go to Romania to distribute Mustard Seed Christmas shoeboxes. I hope that some of the listeners this morning are the people who packed those shoeboxes and that you will be encouraged by what I share with you.

First I must say THANK YOU or MULTIMESCH – some children forgot to say the actual words but the joy in their eyes said thank you a thousand times more effectively than a polite word of thanks ever could. Many of the pensioners wept as they said thank you – I just wish the people who packed the boxes could see the depth of gratitude the pensioners felt and feel the children's excitement and joy.

Most of our children's distributions were at schools. Our general aim with the children was to distribute at school just before the children went home, then the plan was that the children would take the boxes home to open at home so the rest of the family could share in the joy of the gift. Always the children wanted to give to us – a song, invariably in our honour they had learned a verse in English, we watched several nativity plays and applauded countless performances of which we had understood nothing or very little! Always the teachers asked us to have a coffee or a tea, often cakes, etc, sometimes a lunch of traditional Romanian dishes - always they wanted to show their appreciation.

Some of my most moving and encouraging memories are of the joy of pensioners as they received and opened their shoeboxes. We were privileged to be with the social workers delivering the boxes to the homes in Oradea and especially to see them opening their boxes. Some needed a hand to open their box, invariably the social workers would translate the greeting card or explain what the various items were for. We saw tears of joy as they found umbrellas, gloves, etc. but most of all we saw joy when they found soap. I believe most of us were near to tears when one tiny little lady told us she had prayed for some slippers and there they were in her shoebox – the miracle was that they fitted her perfectly. That had to be divine guidance!

Since returning to Jersey I have heard more reports from Nelu one of the social workers concerning the distribution he did about we left. He spoke about the joy different pensioners felt when they opened their boxes and amazingly what they needed and wanted was inside. He told us of one woman over-joyed that there were pants in her box as they were what she desperately needed, he spoke of another who kissed the Christmas card and prayed that God would bless the donor. Amazingly it seemed that each box had in it what the recipient wanted and needed.

The last visit Nelu told me about was going to see Ioan and Floare. When we delivered the shoeboxes to them in December 2007 it was pitch black and their only light was a candle. But when Nelu delivered the shoeboxes in 2008, they had electric light. They had been sponsored through the Adopt a Granny scheme and last winter the money was used to provide electricity, for which they are just so thrilled.

Those of us privileged to distribute the shoeboxes saw the smiles and shining eyes, we received the gratitude and hugs that should go to all who packed a shoebox. Jesus Christ said “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Please be blessed and know that your donation in packing a Christmas shoebox for Mustard Seed gave great joy to the recipient.

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