Christmas was a little merrier for women of Peardonville House treatment centre, thanks to some generous members of Level Ground Mennonite Church, Abbotsford.
The week before Christmas five women from Level Ground packed 30 gift bags for residents of Peardonville House, a home for women recovering from chemical dependence. Each bag contained toiletries, socks, a scarf, a journal, candy and chocolates. All items were donated by church members.
Shirley Martin, whose mother knitted most of the scarves, says the reason for preparing the gift bags is simple: “These are women in need, and this is one way to show we care.”
Many of the residents of Peardonville House are mothers, and Martin, a single mother herself, says she could identify with them. In addition to gifts for the women, eight young children of mothers living at Peardonville House also received Christmas gifts of toys and a book.
“It is special for us to be able to put these together,” says Rita Ewert, who personally delivered the bags. “[The women] are touched that they get something from people who don’t even know them. They come with nothing, they have nothing.”
Level Ground has an intentional ministry of reaching out to people in the community struggling with substance addiction. The congregants particularly relate to residents of Kinghaven, a facility for men located next door to the church, and Peardonville House for women.
Chris Buhler, Ashley Martin and Shirley Martin pack Christmas bags, a gift of Level Ground Mennonite Church, for residents of Peardonville House.
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