Serving…

This month we have great reasons to celebrate! Below you will see fun pictures of our recent Thank You Banquet with our many volunteers who serve at our Helping Hands Resale Shoppe in Chillicothe Illinois.  Following that you can read a few of the many testimonies from some of those who serve and orgs that benefit from their volunteer efforts. The perspective they share reminds us of how many ways the resale effort is also a ministry itself.  Finally you will see an invite to participate in another opportunity to serve in our local community.  Thank you for praying for these and our other ministries around the world as we continue to connect a Timothy culture in the Church!

One more thing! Please check out and pray for our many mission partners around the world on our partner page in our new website.

Here is the link…

https://smallworldconnect.org/partners/

Here you see  a great group of people that the Lord has assembled to serve our local community and ministries around the world through Helping Hands Resale Shoppes. It was a night to honor and thank the volunteers who make the ministry possible.  We had a beautiful venue, delicious food, fun with a fashion show using some of the great things that are donated and heard from a few of the local groups that benefit from funds that are raised.  One young man shared how the funds we raise allowed him and others in the high school to go on both a life changing retreat and a service project to a Native American reservation.   Below you can read some of the testimonies that volunteers shared about their involvement at Helping Hands.  Contact us if you would like to read more from others that we don’t have space to share here.
Testimonies….

 — A few years ago, a friend of mine was having a new furnace installed. When the HVAC worker reached down to light the pilot light, there was an explosion. She & her husband escaped with just the clothes on their backs. When I found out about this tragedy, I asked April if Helping Hands could do anything for this couple. She advised me to have them “shop” for clothes to get them through this period of time until their insurance claim was processed. They were so grateful to have this help in such a debilitating circumstance, especially since winter was upon them.

— the stories I hear working in the garage are both happy and sad. So many “seniors” that donate may have lost their spouse, and many times they want to tell me/us about their deceased loved one. I believe it is part of the HH ministry to listen, to show respect, and at times pray with them. Many times happy stories too, moving to a new home, downsizing, making room for a baby etc!!

— Yes, the experience at HH has been truly amazing!!!! With this last year being one of the most difficult years of my life HH has been a place of encouragement, fun, meeting new people , (staff & other volunteers) who have been a joy to work with!! I started in September & lost my hubby in October unexpectedly, but God’s timing is perfect!! I have also enjoyed meeting many customers & getting to know them! One gal in particular comes in every time I’m working & we’ve developed a wonderful friendship & started being prayer partners w/ each other!!! God is so amazing & good!!!! Thank you for this opportunity

Darlene Kumpf – Community Needs Agency
Thank you for volunteering to help make Chillicothe what it is through your volunteer efforts. When you look in the mirror, what you see is a reflection of someone who is caring, has compassion and someone who is truly passionate about helping others. Our community and Helping Hands is blessed because of you!

My email address is:
smallworldministries@frontier.com