After moving into our new home this year, the blessings of a new home have been on our mind a lot. In September, Denise and Eliza went to a Relief Society service activity. There, they helped to make shoes for people in certain areas of Africa. There are parasites there that hurt peoples’ feet. They keep kids from going to school, running, and playing. They prevent people from walking and working outside. And people who have the parasite often become outcasts.
The shoes were made out of used jeans, rubber, and elastic.
Denise and Eliza were also able to help weave sleeping mats and pillows out of plastic bags and fabric.
While they were there, Eliza was on her own working on one part of the service project and she heard someone from the Stake looking for signups for a different service project. Before even talking to Denise she had already signed up and committed us to help! The paper she brought over to Denise explained that the Stake was working with an organization called “Operation Home” that helps homeless people find and move into new homes. They were looking for help to create “Welcome Home” supply kits for these people that would help them keep their new houses clean.
There was a whole list of supplies that we needed to provide, We went to the store and had a scavenger hunt! Henry and Eliza were running through the store looking for cleaning supplies, trash bags, cleaning tools, a trash can, and a cute welcome mat! We had a lot of fun!
Once we had gathered everything up and brought it home, we put it all together into the big trash can.
Then we wrote a little note for the family who would end up getting the package.
We were so excited for that family that the kids wanted to try and meet them! But we settled for dropping the supplies off at the house of the Stake representative in charge of the project.
In the last couple of years, all of the families in our larger Harrison family have found out how meaningful having your own home can be. We’re grateful for the opportunity we had to be a small part of that good feeling for someone else. And we know that, no matter what happens in this life, we have a Heavenly Home waiting for us. We look forward to being with all of our family there.
Merry Christmas, Grammy and Granddad! We love you!
Chad, Denise, Eliza, Henry, and Sadie (and Finley!)