Our First Mother's Morning!
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
With the help of Hope for San Diego's "Day of Service" and over 20 volunteers, we blessed our community moms with delicious food, restful activities like painting, succulent potting, and floral arranging, and sent them home with a beautiful bag full of bible verse cards in English and Spanish, candles, skin care supplies, and so much more!
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We even had a kid's zone where moms could drop off their kids for a morning of games, snacks, and crafts. It was the first of what will become an impactful annual summer event for Alma Community Care and our families.
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Proudly supporting Alma Community Care
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Annika and Sharon
My family was drawn to the opportunity to serve mothers and their children, with a direct and personal interaction with families in Greater Logan Heights. We were inspired by the work Alma is doing to provide mental health and parenting support, bringing hope and renewal to this community through the gospel. Carrie-Anne reminded us about our impact as volunteers - it’s not just the number of people served but how hearts are touched and bridges built. As volunteers, it was about showing up to support mothers and to be a visible sign to them that they are valued. It was encouraging to know that we were a part of something that will have impact beyond our day of service.
I helped create a space and time for mothers and their children to come together for community, fun projects, a delicious brunch and thoughtful gifts for pampering them further at home. I signed up after realizing that I was missing a sense of greater purpose out in the world. I felt God pursuing me because He knew I was missing the joy of being a part of that and all the wonderful people involved! God showed me how, in these few hours, He was helping women connect to build friendships whether old or new, and watching that happen was His blessing of joy to me as well. He taught me (again!) that as I faithfully step out of my comfort zone, He is even more faithful to show me His goodness amidst the troubles of our world. I am grateful for Alma Community Care and the hope that is growing for these women and children!
Kitty
Diane
I love to help Hope for San Diego’s Day of Service and work alongside others who care about people and want to help others by being the hands and feet of Jesus, especially in a community I love and where I taught. Knowing how hard it is for mothers to find time for themselves and to share how it's going on in their children's lives, I chose to work with Alma Community Care and pamper community mothers. Our team set up many fun games and projects for the children outside, and then enjoyed watching the ones that came. It’s always fun to hear the stories from other volunteers and from the people who come to participate in each activity. Each person we talk to is dear to God and to us. God was certainly present and His love was felt by all that day. He taught me that day (and continues to teach me) that no matter what bad stuff is going on in the world or in our own lives, He is still on His throne and in control, and He wants us to shine His light to others.
I had the joy of helping prepare and wait on the food tables. I loved that the team welcomed mothers and their children with huge smiles, while simultaneously recommending the delicious jam and cheese combo. Volunteering is an important facet of my life, as I remember that Jesus came not to be served - but rather, to serve. My Church community group rallied behind this volunteering event, which made signing up more meaningful. I saw God’s hand in this event in the ways we unconditionally accepted and cared for each other, despite having met each other for the first time. I had the privilege of listening to a mom’s story of obtaining her GED and later running outside with her two kids to create a flower bouquet for her. I was blessed as the moms showered me with the most beautiful smiles while allowing me to share parts of my life. When Jesus is at the center, I can see how love for one another is the inevitable result. The love of God has been poured into our hearts, and we thereby love others because He first loved us. Through this event, God taught me the importance of community. Although I met the moms and children for the first time, I quite naively found it striking that the majority of the moms attended because they were already part of the Alma Care Community. Life should be viewed as a team sport; it was designed by our Creator to be done in community. This realization humbled me and developed within me a greater appreciation towards my community group.
Hannah