I Love Speak Up For Hope
I LOVE Speak Up For Hope! Would you like to see one aspect of our ministry?
As I was packing Boxes of Hope this morning I began by praying over ten empty boxes lined up on a long table that God would bless and encourage the recipients and that He would continue to enable us to do this special work to encourage the wives and mothers of prisoners. Then the joyful project began!
I had finished several boxes when Gene Kent popped in with an exciting e-mail from a Book Club in SC that was reading Carol Kent’s book, Between a Rock and a Grace Place saying they wanted to host a SU4H project night on the evening they had their discussion of the book! They were wondering what items we could use. How encouraging is that?
At SU4H each box is lovingly, prayerfully, packed with great encouraging Christian books or devotionals for women, lovely bath items, stationery, gift items, CDs, etc. and a scripture card with a personal letter is enclosed. Each box is color coordinated and a darling Beanie Baby is peeking out of the crinkle cut packing when the recipient opens it. (We try to use only new, quality items and make the boxes so lovely that we would like to receive each one ourselves.) These boxes are then sent to women who are grieving or struggling due to having a family member who is incarcerated.
Carol and I were tired and just about finished packing boxes for the day when she stopped to go through the mail and brought me a beautiful thank you card from a recipient of one of the Hope Boxes. Her son is in prison and she had been in and out of the hospital and suffering from “a very bad outlook on things.” Let me quote a little more from her note:
“Your gift box arrived the day before my 56th birthday and I was reduced to tears in a good way! I felt so loved and cared about and personally prayed for. I cannot thank you enough for all the lovely things you sent. The magnet I put on my fridge is awesome and I think of your ministry each time I open the door. God bless you 1000 times. Thank you.” In Christ, Babette D.
Of course we had no idea when that dear lady’s birthday was, but isn’t it lovely that God did?
I am attaching some photos of the Boxes of Hope we packed today to give you an idea of what sweet surprises await those who receive them. Will you pray with us for this special ministry of encouragement? And, if you or your group would like to be a part of SU4H, either financially or with item donations, we would be grateful! See below for a specific list of supplies that are needed for the Boxes of Hope.
Speak Up for Hope
3141 Winged Foot Drive
Lakeland, Florida 33803
Thank you so much for your interest in this ministry to inmates and their families. It’s a great encouragement to many who are hurting.
Jennie Afman Dimkoff (Carol Kent’s sister)
Boxes of Hope Supplies:
We have a number of Christian authors who have donated books, but some other specific items in addition to books that would be very helpful are listed below. A darling Beanie Baby is tucked into the the final crinkle cut packing on the top.
–Sleep masks in pretty colors
–Colorful, small sized make-up bags (large ones take up too much room in the boxes.)
–Small scented candles in containers (with covers if possible)
–Narrow coffee mugs for coffee or tea (fat mugs are too big for our boxes, can’t be wrapped securely enough and break when shipped)
–Specialty (individually wrapped) teas and coffees
–Worship CDs
–Matching bath items (soaps, lotions, etc.) Preferably 3-4 items in a package
–Journals & stationery sets
–Small Bibles & New Testaments (We are very low on Bibles)
–Women’s devotionals
–Bracelets, earrings, or any boxed jewelry items.
–Sweet faced Beanie Babies. (No reptiles please.) We especially like puppies, kittens, lambs, teddy bears & butterflies.
–Tasteful, inspirational magnets
