This Formission community celebration story is from Pastor Larry Soper at First Pentecostal Church, Corner Brook:
Mom to Mom began when three moms from our church had some good used children’s clothing and toys that they no longer had need of. They didn’t want to discard it and were thinking about how they could use what they had to show love to others. The result was a church-wide effort to reach out to moms in our community to help meet needs in our neighbourhood. We solicited donations from our congregation for good used clothing and toys for kids up to 12, and also something special for the moms.
This year, building on our previous efforts, we offered rides to those who had transportation issues and also did up gift baskets for the moms who attended. We had about 50 moms attend this year as well as some children, but the benefits of Mom to Mom really reach into the Mutual Health of our whole church. Some of our youth and leaders came together to offer baked goods with coffee and tea, and the entire congregation felt like they were a part of what God is doing in our community.
There is one story from Mom to Mom that was particularly touching for us this year:
A mom of five children, two of which were preemie twins and still at the Janeway, had housing issues while she was away in St. Johns caring for her newborn twins. While home she came to our Mom to Mom’s event and outfitted her children with clothes and shoes. She got baby necessities for when the twins came home: bathtubs, mobiles and bedding etc. She even collected art for her walls, bicycles for her older children, stuffed toys for the kids to play with…even a bed for her children to share. Other moms and single dads were also overjoyed with this FREE opportunity and left the event in unbelief that we cared so much as to offer such a necessity. This was our third Mom to Mom event and it surely will not be the last.
