The Best Gift Ever!
The Way Out Philippines
Our Holiday season really began October 8 when our first official mission team of 12 visited our base in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. The US team joined forces with our staff and volunteers there to do multiple outreaches that featured music, drama, evangelism and food and hygiene distribution. The team also brought a Nativity set and Christmas tree to our church and put on an all-day Christmas Kick Off program for many happy children—Christmas is celebrated for four months in the Philippines! Recently our church, The Gathering, also sent 45 Christmas packages to kids there which included a family food box, a pair of shoes, a blanket and a toy. Read more on TWOP and see videos at thewayout.org.
The Way Out USA
Back on the home front, a series of special outreaches cascaded into our community beginning with a Trunk R Treat activity just before Halloween that brought many new kids into our weekly programs. This past Thanksgiving, we partnered once again with the L.A. Mission to provide 50 food boxes to families in need and on Thanksgiving day our partnership with Supervisor Janice Han’s office and The Gathering Church provided about 200 meals to individuals and families in the city of Hawaiian Gardens! At our Christmas Store, mothers, fathers and grandparents were able to select gifts for their kids and wrap them. This year we were able to give over 100 donated gifts to children through this program!
Spreading the Joy
Our weekly programs all had Christmas fiestas too—beginning with our annual Grace Stop Christmas Party for our homeless friends which celebrated Jesus with brunch, a sing-along, and Christmas Bingo with prize gift cards to various fast food outlets. Each guest also took home a gift bag with a warm blanket, body spray, lotion, hygiene supplies and a treat. Joy followed with Christmas parties for our recovery group The Lion’s Den, Kid’s Club, Zion Youth, Unite Bible study and Beyond Grief .
Our Annual Christmas Concert
filled The Way Out Ministries with families, friends and visitors and joyous Christmas cheer. Ryan and The Gathering Band put on a great show with all the classic songs and brought the true meaning of the season home by giving thanks to the Lord!
