Operation Evergreen
It started out as a bright sunny day. The air was cool, but the sun was warm. It didn’t feel much like the Christmas season. But the inside of Mountain Heights Baptist Church was a different story. Upon walking in the door, I noted a large Christmas tree to the left. To the right of me, there were tables available for dining and crafts. I could see young ladies absorbed with making ornaments. Seated at the dining tables, I could hear couples getting to know each other over plates piled high with food. The conversation was about jobs and the weather, but it was also about babies. Lots and lots of cute babies! There were two I couldn’t take my eyes off of. One was nestled comfortably in her car carrier napping, totally unaware of what was going on. The other one was awake and was being passed around to every lady in the room. That’s what this day was all about…families.
Mountain Heights called it Operation Evergreen and it has been taking place for more than 15 years now. It was created to provide a special holiday for certain families from the local mission and the Buena Vista Pregnancy Center. One of the parishioners displayed his special train set for the guests to watch. Previously, the families had given the church a Christmas wish list. First, they were served breakfast. Next, everyone was guided into the sanctuary for some Christmas carols. After the music, the families had pictures taken in front of the tree. The picture was meant to fit into the ornaments. There was more food available. Finally, along with their presents, they were given a tree with lights and additional ornaments to decorate with. An event like this is the reason for the season, and I am so glad I could a part of it this year.
