Project Angel Tree
Published: October 20, 2005
Mary Kay said the ministry went beyond what she ever could have imagined. After the first Project Angel Tree Christmas, the children who received gifts were encouraged to write letters to their parents. At this time she and other Prison Fellowship volunteers were leading small Bible studies of inmates. “In prison if 10 percent attend that’s a good average. After the ministry began, these grew two to three times in attendance.” When parents received letters she said they started coming to her Bible study as a way to say thank you to the group that provided the gifts. In turn, “many came to know the Lord.”
Many ex-offenders volunteer and participate in Angel Tree as a way to give back. Furthermore, some of the coordinators were recipients of Angel Tree gifts. Mary Kay said hundreds of inmates have said to her, “I never thought anyone would get my kids such nice gifts.”
According to Mrs. Beard, the ministry provides churches with the opportunity to make connections with families and “try to reach them for Christ.” She said, “This is a wonderful tool of evangelism, which was not part of my original thinking.”
This year hundreds of children still need to be placed. Ms. Neighbors said, “We desperately need for churches to come along and help.”
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