Easter in a Bag
Pastor Willie Billips, from Brooklyn, wanted to bring the Easter message into a shelter for moms and children fleeing domestic abuse. Easter Bags opened the door.
Easter Bags, provided by Here’s Life Inner City, are filled with treats loved by children: candy, crayons, toys, a colorful beaded bracelet (that explains the plan of salvation), and a unique book — the Urban Book of Hope, a Bible story-activity book designed especially for children of the inner city.
Floors in the shelter are restricted, but the director of the shelter gave Pastor Billips a section of the lobby for his Easter event.
Word spread quickly that there were special gifts for children in the lobby, and families flocked downstairs. Pastor Billips and others from his church greeted each person, talking with them, encouraging them, inviting them to consider Christ.
One mom was very discouraged because she’d had nothing for her child for Easter, and she was overjoyed to see the toys, candy, and special Easter book.
Willie reports, "I shared with her about God’s love and ministered to her. Right there in the lobby she received Christ!"
The shelter’s administrator was impressed that Willie and his group had brought resources into the shelter to give to the families. She told him afterward that she would be willing to bus interested families to his church services. Willie says, "Because we gave something physical, now we can give something spiritual!"
