This Christmas, MHC had an opportunity to share Jesus’ grace and mercy to those in need in our community. Below is an article written by Amy Huey, a member who helped coordinate the Adopt-a-Family ministry for the West Seattle Campus.
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I know that I (as well as many of you) feel the Christmas season is full of busy shopping trips, packed social calendars and red cup holiday coffee drinks at Starbucks. Every day I get excited to open the mailbox to see the daily stack of photos, of friends and family near and far. It is a busy and joyous time, but most of all, a time of celebration.

Now imagine if your Christmas lacked all of the usual occurrences: an abundance of food in the kitchen, stacks of presents under the tree, and photo greeting cards from our smiling friends. With the busyness of the season, I sometimes forget that so many people in Seattle have less than we do. People living just a few miles from us. Living right next door. No food on the table for the family. Broken homes. Hurting parents and sick children. Children asking for a new school backpack and a warm jacket.rather than a iPod Nano and the hottest digital camera.

This Christmas season, 63 community groups and families, across all five campuses,  adopted 45 families, from within and outside of our church . I know that our community group was shaken up when reading the requests from the family we are adopting “clean bed mattress, blankets, jackets – whatever you can offer us”. Wow! I have most of those things sitting in a box in my garage with duplicates left over to spare.

It has been a humbling experience being a part of “adopt-a-family”. I’ve just heard word from a friend that another group is adopting a family that is about to lose their apartment because they don’t have money to pay the rent. This is an incredible experience for our community within the church to come together and really bless a family, in a tangible way. We are hoping to build a long-term relationship with this family inviting them to church, serving them at their home and loving on their family.

This whole experience has brought me to my knees in prayer as I pray the following prayer..

Lord you know that this experience has been a lesson in faith for me. You are teaching me that our needs can only fully be met by depending on You. You know the names and desires of each of the people in these families. It is only because of You, and nothing to do with us, that each of their needs will be met and that they will feel Your overflowing love this Christmas. I pray that this experience will change and affect each of the community groups that participate in adopting a family through this program. Amen.