The journey has been a long one to the point I am at today. I get asked about when I knew...I still remember on a midnight clear when I got the call to carry forth this ministry.
I had just finished a party at a house and as I was getting ready to leave I was asked if I could make one more special surprise visit I did not have anything else planned so I asked what it was. They asked if I could make a visit to a local orphanage. A local military instillation had adopted these home and was providing toys and clothes to the children residing there. How could I say no?
I arrived and the staff was overly excited that I was there. As I walked in I four of the cutest little girls latch on to Old Santa and would not let go and could not get close enough to me. I talked with the children, answered questions, took pictures and handed out their gifts. All the while three 14-15 year old boys were standing against a wall scowling and making under the breath comments. I asked them if they wanted to come over and get their gifts? Unsurprisingly they said I was not real and they did not believe in Santa. I told them what part of me was not real? They started with my beard. I told them it was the real deal. they then asked to pull it. I hesitated then said it was fine but not to hard. One of them yanked hard and I screamed. All of a sudden then knew that maybe they were wrong. Then they said okay the beard is real but you are wearing pillows. They soon found out that my cookie zone was 100% real! I told them that did not have to believe in me but instead they needed to believe in themselves and also what I represent. They looked at me as if I had spoken gibberish! I said Santa is a reminder of what the birth is about and the unconditional love, kindness, gentleness, joy, happiness in each day and about giving of oneself to others with nothing in return. Now the looked confused. I asked them to tell me that they believed in themselves. They mumbled something. I told them that I had to believe that they believed in themselves. This time they whispered it and looked away. I told them look me in the eye and tell me with conviction in your heart and soul that you will always believe in you! This time they got it! You could actually see the transformation on their faces and in their brains that this was someone different and that I believed in them. What came next was surprising! They came over and gave me a hug and told me they loved me and did BELIEVE. I gave them their gifts and they were delighted. we took a few more pictures and Santa departed.
An hour or so later I was at midnight mass praying about if this was really for me. As I walked out and looked up. I knew that this was the ministry that I had been preparing for my whole life.
On the sad note. I have no pictures and no idea how long the message stayed with them. But then again this is what hope is about!
Go forth and support someone in believing about themselves!
I had just finished a party at a house and as I was getting ready to leave I was asked if I could make one more special surprise visit I did not have anything else planned so I asked what it was. They asked if I could make a visit to a local orphanage. A local military instillation had adopted these home and was providing toys and clothes to the children residing there. How could I say no?
I arrived and the staff was overly excited that I was there. As I walked in I four of the cutest little girls latch on to Old Santa and would not let go and could not get close enough to me. I talked with the children, answered questions, took pictures and handed out their gifts. All the while three 14-15 year old boys were standing against a wall scowling and making under the breath comments. I asked them if they wanted to come over and get their gifts? Unsurprisingly they said I was not real and they did not believe in Santa. I told them what part of me was not real? They started with my beard. I told them it was the real deal. they then asked to pull it. I hesitated then said it was fine but not to hard. One of them yanked hard and I screamed. All of a sudden then knew that maybe they were wrong. Then they said okay the beard is real but you are wearing pillows. They soon found out that my cookie zone was 100% real! I told them that did not have to believe in me but instead they needed to believe in themselves and also what I represent. They looked at me as if I had spoken gibberish! I said Santa is a reminder of what the birth is about and the unconditional love, kindness, gentleness, joy, happiness in each day and about giving of oneself to others with nothing in return. Now the looked confused. I asked them to tell me that they believed in themselves. They mumbled something. I told them that I had to believe that they believed in themselves. This time they whispered it and looked away. I told them look me in the eye and tell me with conviction in your heart and soul that you will always believe in you! This time they got it! You could actually see the transformation on their faces and in their brains that this was someone different and that I believed in them. What came next was surprising! They came over and gave me a hug and told me they loved me and did BELIEVE. I gave them their gifts and they were delighted. we took a few more pictures and Santa departed.
An hour or so later I was at midnight mass praying about if this was really for me. As I walked out and looked up. I knew that this was the ministry that I had been preparing for my whole life.
On the sad note. I have no pictures and no idea how long the message stayed with them. But then again this is what hope is about!
Go forth and support someone in believing about themselves!
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