It Is Time to Celebrate
Once a month at church we have a special dinner for single moms. The wonderful people at church volunteer their time to come and cook a fabulous dinner for the single moms. The moms sit down at the beautifully decorated tables where serves bring them their dinner. Another set of volunteers is taking care of the children so that the moms can have this time just for them.
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| Check out the beautifully decorated table this month! |
I had invited Zuli to come to the dinner with her children. I was excited. Then Zuli calls that her car had broken down. As I talked to her I realized that her car had broken down just 100 yards from the church! (coincidence? Absolutely not!) I went to get the children so they could come inside while Zuli waited for the tow truck to come. Little later, Zuli came to the dinner as well. Our kitchen volunteers were wonderful to make sure that Zuli had just as a wonderful dinner as the rest of the moms who had come earlier.
After dinner, the moms have a few different small group options. They can attend a regular small group, get prayer, or join a special talk that we have each month. This month the topic was summer camps. Zuli and I went to hear about summer camps and scholarships that are available for low income families.
Zuli's children had a wonderful time with the other kids! Zuli had a chance to meet with other single moms and take home a goody bag of toilet paper, kleenex and laundry detergent. And I had the opportunity to drive Zuli home that night.
So, today I celebrate single moms' dinners where a mom can feel special and taken care of without having to worry about childcare or the cost. I celebrate believers who volunteer their time month after month (and many year after year) to come and serve the single moms and their children. I celebrate a church that values single mothers, and wants to invest in them.
What are you celebrating today?
What an awesome mission for your church! Too often single moms are left with few options. This is truly a special event for those moms.
ReplyDeleteIt is always a special night!
DeleteWhat a wonderful thing your church does. Single moms seldom get to connect with others without their kids, so to provide the dinner, the babysitting, the connections and then send home a practical goody bag is simply amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love watching the moms and their children leave happy!
DeleteEverything about this post fills me with admiration for your community - what a wonderful mission!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tara!
DeleteWhat a beautiful community.
ReplyDeleteIt's a special group that thinks of those single moms, Jaana. Since I'm alone now, but have my daughter & family close, I do think how hard it would be if I also had kids to take care of, & everything else. This monthly time sounds so nice!
ReplyDeleteIt really is a special time, Linda!
DeleteWhat love! Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about the approach your community has taken is that the moms get to be together, not getting just a babysitter or single courses. I also like that the dinner is festive, with white table cloths and centerpieces. You are not investing just in moms, but in the future of these children.
ReplyDeleteThat is the whole idea Terje: invest in both the moms and their children! This is the future!
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