Angel Tree Update

Hi gang,

Here's an update on Angel Tree:

- Miraculously we got in touch with one of the Angel Tree children's mom, we'll be delivering gifts for the girl in Sacramento on Wed. afternoon/evening. I'd like to leave Oakland around 4pm; if you can join please email me. We'll be back probably around 9.

- On Saturday we (Wenj, Hugo, Daniel Song, me) shopped for the gifts and had a little wrapping session (no not that kind of rapping) at Dana house.:

We got a glow-in-the-dark Carebear and a nice 2-layer jacket for the girl, and a blingy electronic truck and black jacket for the boy. Hugo kept saying how 'cool' that jacket was.

- Unfortunately we still haven't been able to contact the boy's mother, but we still bought presents in faith =) Please pray that we'd be able to get in touch with them somehow.

- Saturday night was the Angel Tree party. Since our children weren't coming our group wasn't officially invited. However (and I had a sinking feeling this might happen) I was officially invited as the guest magician, and I think God wanted me to be able to commiserate with you finals-takers because the ensuing stress was something I hadn't felt since Chem 1A days.

The rest of the night was spectacular, children and families from all over Oakland and Alameda of many different stripes and backgrounds, hanging out with our youth students (dressed as elves, I don't know how the teachers convinced them to do so), eating a fabulous roast and turkey dinner, playing games, singing Joyland songs - and of course being visited by Santa himself, a.k.a Jim Kwak-Klause. As I sat down after my show and looked out over that motley but joyful crowd, I gave thanks to God for giving our church this chance to minister to them, and for this building which we could use for that.