Quiltingboard Forums - A Christmas to Remember

I just read JUNEC's post about the storekeeper, Mr. Miller. It reminds me of an incident several years ago. My family was hosting the Gospel Music Stage during our county's East Texas Yamboree (called Yamboree -- NOT Jamboree -- because the event was begun back in 1940 honoring the yam (or sweet potato) that was a prime crop here at that time.

Someone brought a small purse to the bandstand and told me they had found it. We announced that a purse had been found several times, but no one claimed it. I found the address inside, but no phone number, so found the house the next afternoon. 3 small children were playing in the yard. When I got out of the car one of them came running to me saying, "Look! We have a book." It was just a small Golden book, but they were so proud of it. A lady came to the door and when she saw the purse she started crying. There were only a few $1 bills in it. She said this was all she had.

Christmas time was nearing, and a friend gave me a refurbished bicycle for each of the children. We went by to ask if it was ok for the children to have them, but the house was empty. I called their former landlord, and he told me where they had moved. It seems that the children's mother had left them, the father had no idea where she was. He was struggling to take care of the children. The woman I'd met was a caretaker for the children.

The children's father said we could give gifts to the children. I'll never forget the look on their faces when my son started unloading the bicycles. Some friends helped me purchase a gift for each child, as well as a small gift for their father and the lady who was watching after the children to place under the tree. Their tree was small, about 2 ft. tall. But those kids loved it and were excited to show it to me.

The children would be grown now. I don't know where they are. But that was truly a Christmas to remember.