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Boxes / Church embraces projectiLetter to the JournalFROM PAGE A1Usher started mailing the boxes in August, sending a few at a time, as they were packed.The Lord’s willThen she went to her church, to request help in gathering more supplies to fill boxes.“I just really felt like the Lord wanted our church fami-ly to continue doing this, just as an outreach from our9church,” she said.She’s sent boxes every couple of weeks since then, and each time, she receives a letter from Boyce, acknowledging receipt of the packages. Individual soldiers also have been written, thanking the congregation.Last week, Usher took to the church eight letters to add to her album of memories — including one from a soldier from Victoria. The book now contains 25 or 30 letters.“They say that every time they get a box, it’s like Christmas,” Usher said. “Things you and I would just throw in the cart in the grocery store every week, it’s just stuff they can’t get.”Usher said church members have sent soap, Ramen noodles, hard candy, toothbrushes and toothpaste, magazines — all sorts of things.The church members don’t just fill the soldiers’ stomachs. Usher said they’ve included copies of the New Testament in the packages.I work in A1 Qaim, Iraq, as a contractor for KBR. I would like to tell you an amazing story about some people in your great community.They’re all members of the First Baptist Church, and Joan Usher helped spearhead a very valuable mission. They have sent more than 50 boxes of cookies, candy, shampoo, toilet items and small Bibles to U.S. Marines and Army soldiers stationed here. You will never know what this has done for the morale of these troops.We have a small PX, and it hardly ever gets much in. LastRemember chocolateShe wanted to make the Christmas packages extra special, so she asked people for homemade treats. By her Nov. 15 deadline for the Christmas mailing, she had collected 44 boxes of goodies, 18 of them filled with homemade cookies and candy.Lots of that candy was chocolate.“You can only send chocolate from Oct. 1 until the end of March, because it gets too hot after that,” Usher said. “We sent tons of chocolate for Christmas.”Letters from soldiersUsher likes to say her church, with an average attendance of 150, is small in num-year, we had a very bad Christmas, and I decided not to let that happen this year. Joan got my address, and the church group asked what the troops needed.They started sending these items, and you could see the results. The troops would ask me, “Why do they send us the items and do not know us?” I stated, “It is the American way. ”These people pay for the items, pay for the mailing and do not know a single soldier or U.S. Marine here. This has been a blessing for all of them, and I just wanted tober, “but we have big hearts.”The album of letters from soldiers is displayed on a table at the church, and members are invited to leave contributions for the soldiers on the table.“Not a week goes by that I don’t find something on that table to send,” Usher said. “If it wasn’t for the church family being involved, it wouldn’t be nearly the project it is.”Congregation members also are faithful in helping to pay for postage.“I even had a close friend give me a very sizable donation after hearing me talk about it,” Usher said. “So far, the money has always been there.”Mosf of the people who con-■ tthank them from the bottom of my heart for all that they • have done. I am from a small town in Kansas myself and ,, wanted to let people know that,.Kansas can be darn proud ofthese people of the First Baptist Church of Salina.Just a short reminder to you and the people of Salina. , When you see a U.S. Marine or* * U.S. Army soldier who just came back from Iraq, do not ,, shake their hand, but give them a great big old hug. They -have earned it.Your friend,- DON L. BOYCE;,, A1 Qaim, Iraqtribute don’t know a single , „soldier serving overseas. j;“It’s just an outreach min- ; istry for our church,” Usher said. “I feel like the soldiers ... are defending our freedom, it’s the least we could do, to keep remembering them in someway.”* Reporter Sharon Mon-tague can be reached at 822-1411, or by e-mail at sjsmon tague@saljournalxom.UNIJ‘A.CLEANING RESTORATION rW5*24 Hour Emergency Service,,,785-825-1111
Newspaper Details
Salina Journal
Salina, Kansas, US
Tue, Dec 19, 2006
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Salina P.
KS, USA 02 May 2022
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