Bear Hugs Christmas

Dustin and I both have the amazing privilege to work with the youth organization within our church. Yesterday morning, we had an opportunity to take the young men and young women in our ward (for the third year in a row) to volunteer with the Bear Hugs Christmas.

This is a very special event set up by the Utah Jazz. Each year the Jazz Bear and his committee (aka Luke) work to raise money. In December, they take that money and they set up this great even that allows some of the under-privileged kids in the area to each have $90 to spend at Wal-Mart for their Christmas. We have to pick up the youth at about 6am in the morning since we have to be there by 6:30 and we have yet to hear one complaint or one groan about it. The youth get so excited to participate every year. Each volunteer then gets matched up with a kid anywhere between 4 and 13 or so. Since the youth in our church range from 12-18, some times they do get matched up with a kid that is similar in age. The kids then enjoy some breakfast along with some type of entertainment. This year some dancers from High School Music came to teach the kids some moves. (Here is Dustin and his buddy breakin' it down). Then the Jazz Bear comes to get the kids excited and we're off to Wal-Mart.

The interesting part is that we load up into buses and then there is a police escort that takes the 7 or 8 buses to Wal-Mart. Leading the way is the Jazz Bear on top of a Fire Truck so that all the kids can see him. Even though this is my third time doing it, I still get choked up watching the kids lighten up and get excited as the 12 or so police cars with sirens on lead us and stop traffic to lead us as we go through red lights. Even if it's for a short time, they feel so special.

When we get to Wal-Mart let's just say that the toy section is a mad house. Kids and carts in every aisle; first bikes being ridden and dolls being admired. The interesting part is that each of these young kids has $90 to spend on themselves and yet they are usually buying things for their mom or a sibling or their dad. Some leave very little, if any money for themselves. The young men and young women are touched by this every year as am I. This beauty of selflessness is almost overwhelming when I think about it. But it is also the sad stories that we hear as we walk and talk with these kids. One told one of our young women that she and her brother sleep in the car sometimes. Another said they didn't need to buy anything for his dad because he was in prison. Another was ducking when the police escort started. When asked why he was ducking, he said "because that's what my mom always does when she sees the police". Then one of our young men got up in church today to talk about his experience. He is 12 so it was his first time doing it this year. He said it was hard at times trying to keep track of his kid and buy certain things and he was a little wild. But at the end he said the bus ride home was really fun and he said he gained "another best friend". Priceless.

It truly is an amazing experience that I am so fortunate to participate in each year. My sweet friend was 5 year old Diego. He was shy and refused to dance, but was so excited about the Jazz Bear and Wal-Mart. Santa was there too, but apparently Santa didn't even begin to compare to the Jazz Bear. Diego knew what he wanted and we were done pretty quick, but as we were going through the aisles making sure he got what he wanted, he kept pointing at things and asking if I wanted to get that for my sister. And then he was asking what I wanted to get. This sweet 5 year old boy who barely knew me, let alone my sister, wanted to make sure that we were taken care of too. He did end up buying two of something so that he and his friend could play with them together.
This was a reminder to me of how blessed I am in my life. I have been given so much and does my selflessness even compare to these sweet children? I don't think it does. But it sure does give me inspiration and motivation each year to be a better person and to try and give back even more for all the amazing blessings that I have received. I think Dustin's little buddy summed it up best for all of us. "Today is my luckiest day!" Thanks to Luke and April for giving us the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful event!