TYLER, Texas — Having a family member who is incarcerated is especially hard during the holidays. That’s why the Church of Living Hope decided to offer some relief.
Members of the Church of Living Hope visited the Smith County Jail to pass out flyers to inmates asking if they’d like to collaborate and send their children Christmas gifts.
Those who agreed were matched with a church member who adopted their family
Pastor David Herndon can relate to these families.
“I received the Lord Jesus in a prison cell from members of our church,” Herndon said. “I do remember that Christmas being totally separated from my family... I’m glad that there are people out there who choose to think about others and choose to think about the least and the lonely and the left out of society.”
No one gets left out of this initiative. For the ten years Herndon has been a part of the church, every willing family has been adopted.
This year, families claimed their gifts and took a photo one by one
“We want to send that photo in to the incarcerated mother or father so that they can see their kids got gifts this Christmas,” Herndon said.
More than 100 children were served this Christmas — all left with smiles bright enough to see from the North Pole. Church of Living Hope hosts this event every year. In the future, they’re hopeful that it can evolve into a way to serve the greater community beyond the families of the incarcerated.