Gifts of Grace Christmas Gifts

The Christmas gift ministry began in 2005 after Emily, Rick and Libby went out and visited families in the villages with Regina.  After seeing the oppression the families were living under, we felt that there must be a way to bring some joy into their lives.  And so, when we got back to the US, we began devising this project.  That year we sent 180 gifts to the children in Birzai and then went back before Christmas to distribute them.  It was magical to say the least!  Watching children open Christmas gifts who had never even had a Christmas gift before.  Hard to imagine, right?  But this is what life was, under communist rule.  At this point we began building relationships with all these families.  Fast forward 17 years to 2022 and we now send over 600+ gifts.  So many relationships have been built through these Gifts of Grace, to where the people are like your own family.  Many times, these gifts are the first step in building a relationship with a family and a lifelong friendship.

We not only serve the children with gifts, but we also give gifts to folks in the nursing homes and in the handicapped center.This is always a delight to visit and give these folks a small gift of love during the Christmas season.  It’s especially wonderful just to visit with them.

Here’s how you can be a part of sharing the love of Jesus Christ, and build a relationship with a special young person.  One way is to prepare a gift box.  The boxes are supplied for you in July each year and then due back in around the middle of September.  All items must be new.  You will also receive a paper with the child’s name, photo (when available), sizes (when available) and a description of what their interest are.  If you cannot fill a box, but would like to donate the funds for a gift, we will shop for you.  A gift box usually cost between $100 to $150.  You may also like to go on the team at Christmas, but this is always a small team as space is limited.  Most importantly we ask that you please pray for these children and their families.  Another way you can help is to make a donation to help with shipping cost. 

We hope that you will join us in bringing God’s gift of Love to these children and all the other folks we visit along the way.

Linksmų Kalėdų!  (Merry Christmas)