A group of ladies serving in the Christmas Store together had more fun helping parents get the Christmas gifts they needed for their children. The smiles on their faces both illustrates and symbolizes the incredible spirit of our volunteers this Christmas season.What a great community!

On this day after Christmas, we are pleased to share with you the results of your generous, faithful, and sacrificial support.

As most know, when you give to Mission Arlington^®, you are actually giving through us to someone in need. Our administrative overhead is a low 2.8 percent. This means that when you give financial support, 97.2 percent of every dollar goes directly in ministry to people, and not towards the administrative needs of the organization.

Tillie Burgin Director of Mission Arlington since the beginning, in the Christmas Store talking with a volunteer.

On the other hand, when you donated various items, such as food, clothing, furniture, and/or Christmas gifts for children, 100 percent of each contribution goes directly to the people. You give it, and we give it away. It has long been our policy not to re-sell anything you give. Truly, we are twice blessed – once when you give, and again when we give it away.

For this reason, among others, we view ourselves as a simple reflection of our community.  We can only give to others what you have first given to us.  We believe that the strength of our work here comes from the Lord first, and then in and through your generosity.  Individuals, families, civic groups, companies, corporations, churches, schools, and so many more, contributed Christmas gifts, bikes, food, and thousands of volunteer hours to make the holiday season so blessed for people in need. It was and is extraordinary to watch the outpouring of love coming from all directions.

Some of you adopted children through our “angel tree” process. Others adopted families, and still more gave in and through our Christmas Store. More than 7,000 of you showed up to help us give gifts away in our Christmas Store. Wow!

All in all, 7,351 families received help, representing 30,514 children.  We were able to tell the Christmas Story in five different languages (English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Sign, and Arabic), and 368 adults indicated their desire to begin a walk with Christ, and another 743 adults rededicated their lives to Christ, or told us that they wanted to know more about faith.  Follow up begins with each family starting today.

We are so grateful for the privilege we have of serving with this community to help people in a moment of need.  Your prayers, your help, and your financial support make a huge difference here.  We wish we could express our thanks to each of you individually. As we pray for you this morning, our hope is that the Christ of Christmas has found his home in yours as well, and that your own Christmas moments were blessed, because you first helped someone else to be alright.

We are truly enjoying this season at year-end, and looking forward to the year ahead.

To God be the glory!