“Changing people’s lives through the healing power of heartfelt service.” – Mission statement Heartfelt Foundation
Christ-mass, to me, is the miraculous blessing that occurs when we choose to be instruments of transcendent love for one another. It’s that place within, to paraphrase a portion of St. Francis’ Prayer, where we ask to “…not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive…”
On December 13, 2008, two hundred volunteers for the Heartfelt Foundation were on hand to create a loving Christmas experience for two thousand homeless and at-risk children and their parent(s) or guardian at the Heartfelt Foundation’s Christmas Service Project at the Santa Monica Pier.
The early morning sky indicated something wondrous was about to occur that day. I’ve heard the phrase, “there wasn’t a cloud in the sky,” but this was the first I experienced a time when, “there wasn’t a sky in the clouds.”
It was wet, overcast and blustery. The sky was not visible. All that could be seen above was a dark canopy of solid cloud. Looking out across the Pacific Ocean, clouds and sea melded into one, rendering the line of the horizon virtually indistinguishable.
Regardless, Santa and Mrs. Claus would not be denied as once again Rudolph came to the rescue navigating through the impenetrable clouds and safely delivering them, along with their elves, helpers and gifts, to the pier in time to set up and greet the children by the 11:00am starting time.
At 10:38am, literally just as busloads of children pulled into the parking lot, a bright burst of sunlight broke through the dark clouds. It was a sign of many good things to come. There was a great deal of excitement and anticipation building as the children lined up to enter the event.
Throughout the day children enjoyed such wonders as sitting on Santa’s lap, receiving a Christmas present in the Toy Tent, petting small farm animals, having their faces painted, expressing themselves by creating beautiful arts and crafts, eating hot food followed by cookies and candy, riding on one of the three ponies, touching and learning about sea life and how we can help the ocean stay clean, playing carnival games, and riding the carousel all day for free! There was a tremendous amount of fun and love present from the early morning and it continued to grow throughout the day! Joy was everywhere.
I also noticed the spirit of acceptance and communion getting stronger throughout the afternoon. Some children and parents, who were wary at the start of the day, were soon laughing and fully participating as the hours went by. When very strong gusts of wind swept up under the roof of the Food Tent threatening to transport it to Kansas, standers-by simultaneously grabbed a hold to keep it in place. When the winds were pushing in the sides of the Toy Tent, volunteers laughed as they splayed their bodies against the wind to hold the walls in place.
One little boy actually experienced a miracle while he stood alone by the staircase watching the other children go through the Toy Tent. In a flash, and seemingly out of nowhere, Santa Claus suddenly appeared next to him and personally gave him a Christmas present!!
In Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” the glorious Spirit of Christmas Present is the most joyful and abundant of all those who visit Scrooge on Christmas Eve—radiantly holding the horn of Plenty and surrounded by a cornucopia of riches, foods and fruits, laughing freely as there is more than enough of everything for everyone. Well, we know the Spirit of Christmas Present was at the Santa Monica Pier this day because as the ending time of the event neared at 3:00 pm, after approximately 2,000 guests had passed through the Toy Tent, there were so many gifts still there that the children who were in proximity were allowed to go through for a second gift! Even so, there were more toys remaining! Santa’s helpers, and volunteers for Heartfelt then stuffed several bags with these toys to give to children elsewhere for this Christmas!
A little girl, who arrived late with her Daddy, was only in time to take the last free ride on the carousel. Lo and behold! She was astounded to find Santa and Mrs. Claus there, who along with their elves and the volunteers for Heartfelt were taking their seats to enjoy the merry-go-round with her! Santa even reached out to her and she got to sit on Santa’s lap! Her grateful father then fastened her on a carousel horse in front of Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the little girl spent almost the whole ride looking backward staring, mouth agape, in awe of Santa and Mrs. Claus! Live! In person!
By 3:46 pm the extremely well organized and joyful volunteers for Heartfelt had completed breaking down the tents and equipment, carefully loaded the remaining toys, candy cane markers, and Santa’s chair into the trucks, and were ready to depart for Santa’s next stop. I am pleased to note that a hallmark of any event held by an organization founded by John-Roger, and I have participated with all the organizations, is that the area where the event is held is left in better condition than before we got there. And today would be no exception when, as if on cue, a squadron of seagulls swooped in to eat up every stray piece of popcorn on the pier. Mission accomplished!
The wonder of Christ-mass is that it is not bound by time, or place, or circumstance.
This was evidenced once again on Christmas Eve when Patti Rayner, Executive Director of the Heartfelt Foundation sent this follow-up email.
Date: December 24, 2008 10:52:26 AM PST
Subject: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!
“My dear friends, I wanted to let you know that our Christmas Service Project of December 13, continued until last night. For those of you who participated in the event, you may have missed a homeless woman with 6 children who got to [the] party just as our rental truck was leaving and everything [had been] given away. It had taken them hours to get from Skid Row to Santa Monica. So we missed them.
But God had other plans.
She called Monday to see if there were toys left and I invited her to come to my office to pick out toys for the kids. Once again she trekked across LA but this time, I had a moment to chat with her and discover her situation. They were living at a downtown mission in the midst of drug addicts, pedophiles, and the most difficult of circumstances. The mother had refused efforts to split up the family. They had nothing but a little hope left.
On leaving she happened to mention a housing program in Long Beach and that she’d been offered a place for the family if they could come up with the move-in fees. When I brought this dilemma to the Heartfelt Service Board, they dug into their pockets, passed the word, and before day’s end there was all the money needed to get them out of the shelter. And so we decided to get this family housed before Christmas.
Yesterday Mike Wolfe and I went to the mission, jammed our little cars full of children, bags of belongings, the disbelieving mom, and traveled to the Long Beach offices of the apartment being reserved for them.
But to all of our shock and surprise, this wasn’t just any apartment, this was a beautiful, brand new, fully furnished, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, new everything, apartment!!! New beds, new lamps, new refrigerator, dishwasher, etc. The children were beside themselves with joy and the rest of us couldn’t close our mouths.
We left them late last night, warm, together, safe, incredulous, hopeful, together, and with a brand new life afoot.
Thanks to all of you who so graciously make Heartfelt service possible. I share these stories with you because you are a part of them, too.
Happy holiday blessings to all,
Patti”
Anything is possible when the abundant Spirit of Christ-mass is Present!
This mother and her six children were the last to get to the Christmas Service Project on December 13. I can only imagine the disappointment she experienced arriving at an empty pier, after hours of herding six children across Los Angeles on public transportation, only to find seagulls picking up stray bits of popcorn.
She could have quit at that point and no one would have blamed her. But to her credit, this mother’s devotion to keep her children with her, and her determination to get them Christmas presents she could not afford, lead her to make yet another call and another cross town trip to the Heartfelt Foundation two days later.
Because they were last, her children missed out on getting their faces painted, petting a farm animal, sitting on Santa’s lap, riding on the carousel and a real pony, eating a healthy hot lunch and getting a toy.
Because of their mother’s selfless devotion and continued willingness to put her body on the line for those she loved, Spirit met her at her point of action and, instead, they got a beautiful, brand new fully furnished, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment in time for Christmas Eve.
“And the last shall be first.”
(Matthew20:16)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Everyone!”
(Last line in “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens)
With Light and Love,
James Hassett
And this from Heartfelt’s director:
Dear Family,
On Saturday, December 13, 2008, Heartfelt hosted and celebrated more than 2,000 of LA County’s most in-need children and families. Most of them came from Skid Row in downtown LA, South central LA, East LA, the Valley, and the West LA and Venice areas. Many families trekked for hours to get to the party, and said it was all worth their trip.
Prior to that day, 100 generous souls had spent the entire week securing and wrapping more than 2,500 donated toys and gifts to be distributed to the children. This was the first time we had ever received so many toys, which quickly dispelled the “doom and gloom” predictions of getting less this year. Perhaps we got more because the need was greater than ever.
200 loving hearts signed up to volunteer at this service event, which was held in the huge parking lot behind the carousel on the Santa Monica pier.
They gave of their loving hearts, welcoming smiles, unconditional service, and unlimited energy, patience and time; and filled the children with lasting gifts. The beautiful location for our party was made possible by the great generosity of the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Company.
Our amazing decorating team (from the set of “Heroes”) turned the parking lot into a magical Santa’s Village. Children had their choice of riding the carousel, visiting Santa, going to the Toy Room, eating an endless supply of hot dogs, sloppy joe’s, popcorn, chips, candy and cookies, riding ponies, petting farm animals or marine life, having their faces painted, doing arts and crafts projects, playing games, and being in a fun, safe, abundant world far away from their everyday life.
It was truly astounding to all of us to see the huge numbers of children and families that poured into the event–a testament to the need that exists in so many places. But luckily, the “loaves and fishes” miracles we always experience with Heartfelt, were in evidence again as everything stretched way beyond what it should have done, realistically. Everyone that came got food, and every child got a toy (and some even got 2!!).
The week after the project found us with toys that had “loaved and fished” once more, into 1,000 — therefore many local agencies, like the LA County Probation Department, and families without toys were able to come to Heartfelt for their fill.
Your Light and support is deeply appreciated. 2009 marks Heartfelt’s 30th year anniversary! Please plan to participate with us as we keep you updated on our service celebrations?
In loving service,
Patti
