Sunday, August 16, 1998

Children's clothing donations multiply

By LORETTA FULTON

Senior Staff Writer

Kind of like the fish and bread that miraculously multiplied to feed the multitudes, new clothes for one child miraculously have evolved into new clothes for 70 -- and counting.

The miracle is happening at The Mission, a church sponsored by Pioneer Drive Baptist for homeless people and those living in poverty. It began one Sunday when a woman at The Mission outfitted a child in new clothes from head to toe, from the inside out.

That act of kindness caught the attention of Kathy Moore, Sunday School coordinator at The Mission.

"If you're going to give to one child, you've got to give to all children," she said.

So the 70 children who attended Vacation Bible School July 6-8 at The Mission were sized for new school clothes. On July 25 volunteers took sack lunches to the children's home, verified the need and sizes, and visited with the family.

"It was a big undertaking," said Arlieta Jones, a volunteer.

Last Saturday 23 volunteers at The Mission distributed bags filled with new clothes, including gleaming white tennis shoes, to the children.

"We probably clothed over 70-something kids, and we're still doing it," said Mark Hewitt, pastor of The Mission.

Thanks to the outpouring of money and donations from members of Pioneer Drive and others in the community, the project will continue for another couple of weeks.

"As long as there are resources, we'll continue," Hewitt said.

Last Saturday, the children who came to The Mission got more than just new clothes and school supplies. They also got a dental evaluation by Dr. Bob Hawley and a once-over by Capt. Glynda Dallas, a nurse practitioner stationed at Dyess AFB.

As important as those things are, everyone agreed the brand new school clothes probably did more for the children's self-esteem than anything.

"The most important factor is their success in school," Jones said. "We thought that would get them off to a fresh start."

Apparently that thinking was correct. Some of the children, including teens, walked out of The Mission with the first new clothes they ever owned.

"They just felt so proud," Jones said, "and their parents were so grateful."

A Tree of Knowledge was created at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church as the main source of raising funds. The tree was decorated with cards bearing the names and sizes of the children to be outfitted. Church members picked a card off the tree and donated the money for that child.

Also making the project possible were Ward's, Target, Athletic Supply, Sears and Wal-Mart, Moore said.

Even though school didn't start until Tuesday, many of children just couldn't wait to show off their new duds.

"Sunday morning when they came, most of them had those new clothes on," Hewitt said.

For more information, call Hewitt at The Mission, 670-0246.