Ties That Bind

We are approaching the final chapter of a year long outreach mission project with Children’s Ministries and Missions at Mt. Bethel UMC. In Christmas of 2006 we sent a few blankets, that were made by children during summer Vacation Bible School programs, with a mission team to Atacucho, Ecuador.

The Director of Missions was thrilled by the excitement of the children that received the blankets, but we only sent a few…there was a much greater need. As Children’s Ministries developed a new program on Wednesday nights for Mothers and their tween daughters (GOD’s G.I.R.L.S.) we adopted this project as a weekly mission to make more blankets for the children in Ecuador. Something beautiful happened each week the girls and their moms got together and tied knots between two pieces of fleece. Relationships grew, Christian service was modeled and mentored, and a hunger was put on the hearts of all who prayed and tied the blankets.

Our Youth adopted this mission project during their D-NOW weekend retreat and added to the growing number. Every program we had with children over the summer we continued tying knots in blankets of fleece. The Holy Spirit was guiding the entire project and blessing each blanket and those that labored over it. Fleece blankets were being made and at the same time the Body of Christ was in motion and bound by the soft texute of the fleece, the bright colorful patterns, and the love of a Savior.

Our Children’s Ministry Director and Mission’s Director teamed to make this a goal to have 1200 blankets for Christmas 2007 to take to Atacucho, Ecuador. We have around 900 to date and they are piling in our doors everyday. Boy and Girl Scout Troops, circles, neighborhoods, schools, offices, Sunday School classes, and churches have all participated in this mission project. Grandparents with their grandchildren, sleepovers, small group meetings, families at home, the list goes on of the hands that God has used to tie these blankets of love together. What a precious blessing to see God take the need of comfort and warmth and use the hearts and hands of children in another country to supply a gift of not only physical warmth but the warmth of spiritual love through our precious savior Jesus Christ.

Generations have experienced this project called “Blankets of Love” and children on different continents are tied together through a knot, a prayer, and a blanket of love in the name of Jesus Christ. Those are the ties that bind!

“I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19

If you would like to contribute to this project please feel free to contact Dianne Hylton (Director of Children’s Ministry) or Sherry Reed (Missions) for more information.

To God be the Glory!

Sherri Juliani

Elementary Coordinator

Children’s Ministries