The Result If you could only see what it started out as and what God wanted it to be........
By the time Roland and his children returned home they had a beautifully sodded back yard, swing set and bikes, freshly painted bedrooms and incredibly laminate wood flooring through out. New beds, new mattress's, and bedding for all! Deck furniture, and kitchen stocked with new dishes and pots and pans, brand new towels for all.
Isaiah now has a special bed with a starry night canopy and the twins Elijah and Jeremiah have a bunk bed with jungle bedding and a big jungle leaf canopy and bug lights on the wall. Kendra's room is sparkly pink curtains, and beautiful new white bed with pink bedding, cut lime green table and princess tent with flower lights on her walls. Decals cover their walls of whimsical jungle. It looks like right out of a magazine!
The Christmas table looks like out of Martha Stewart with the most beautiful cookies you have every seen. The Christmas tree had gumballs and bells, and snowflakes galore with tons of presents under the tree and stocking were hung that matched the decor!
We had enough lights for National Lampoon's Christmas! Huge Christmas blow ups, too.
In those moments of their return many things were said that I would like to share a little with you ...
Roland came in the house with me first, and literally he was so overwhelmed I thought he would fall. He said "God is so awesome. I can't believe what I am seeing. It's a dream. After all these years I have never been able to do this for my children. I have never been able to provide the one thing I have wanted for them - a home they would love - until now. God is amazing. You will never know what all of you have done for our lives." He text me this morning and said "I am still walking around in amazement."
With so much love, hard work, dedication, long hours and financial support from so many I truly believe that last night was Christmas. Last night we saw what the birth of Christ truly means - the birth of new hope for a family that needed to be reminded of Him in a real way!
Christ has transformed our lives and loves through us to transform others lives.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Catherine The Beginning There was no way I was going into the office that day, I was sick and just wanted to go home....but my car went anyway. I was standing next to the front desk and said to Phyllis "I need to start working on the Extreme Christmas Family." She looked at me and said "Take a look at this it just came in as a prayer request from Joanne Wilshusen." I read it......and knew why God wanted me to go into the Church that day because He had a family waiting for us.
Roland Tamez is a single father of four children under the age of five. He has twin boy's age two named Jeremiah and Elisha. He has a five year old daughter named Kendra. He also has a three year son named Isaiah. The pray request was about Isaiah. In early September, doctors discovered a malignant tumor on Isaiah's eye. September 18, doctors from MD Anderson removed the tumor and the eye. Unfortunately, they determined chemotherapy was necessary.
I meet Roland and all the children. Life for Roland is beyond difficult. He may have to stay at Ronald McDonald house for longer stretches because Isaiah has been very sick with his chemotherapy treatments.
It is overwhelming to see this father in such a desperate place. His son is so ill and he has three other children who need him, too. One thing I know for sure --- God wants us to respond to their needs... and we are going to give them an Extreme Christmas Makeover.
The Vision They need the inside of their house painted and new vinyl flooring.
They need a real backyard to play in... grass and play set.
Bottom-line ... They need a Christmas.
So, pray hard that we share their very heavy burden as God as called us to and "rethink" our own Christmas.
Isaiah's father is hanging on by a thread, but we are going to through him a rope! He will see the "rope of hope" from you and me because God had determined that we will be!
How to Give to Their Christmas DONATIONS directly to the church --please indicate Extreme Christmas GIFT CERTIFICATES --from Target, Old Navy, or Toys-R-Us GO SHOPPING --the family is registered at Target and Toys-R-Us under "EXTREME CHRISTMAS"
Answered Prayers (so far!)
The children have no bedroom furniture but, with your help, we raised enough money from the garage sale to buy a brand new bed, mattress and storage unit for each child.
We asked for a new dishwasher and, with your help, one is being funded.
Copyright 2010, St. John's UMC, 5300 S Alameda, Corpus Christi TX 78412, 361 991 4342
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