Published: December 27, 2008 07:55 pm      

Child's prayer for food answered

BLUEFIELD — A small child’s prayer for food has been answered through the kindness of a Little Jimmie volunteer.

Kay Jackson, a first-year volunteer at last week’s Community Christmas Tree party, was asked by Daily Telegraph Executive Editor Tom Colley to help deliver an unclaimed Little Jimmie bag to a local family in need. The volunteer discovered the family needed not only Christmas gifts, but also food.

“He (the child) said his prayer had been answered because he had nothing to eat,” Jackson, a resident of Davenport, Va., said. “There was nothing in the refrigerator. That is what he was asking for. It wasn’t like he was asking for an Xbox or something like that. He had prayed for food.”

While the Little Jimmie bag was stuffed full of toys, books, clothes and other goodies, food items were limited to fruit, cookies and other treats.

“He said — ‘now I’ve got apples and oranges to eat, and a present,’” Jackson said. “The little boy had been praying that he would get a gift, a stocking with a present and some food. Basically he got all of that. It was a really good thing.”

Realizing the family was in a desperate need for more food, Jackson and family members went to a local grocery store and purchased more than $150 worth of food for the family. They delivered the groceries to the child and his family on Christmas Eve morning.

“We went back and got them some groceries,” Jackson said. “We were able to take all of the groceries and give it to them on Christmas Eve morning. It just about broke our hearts. It made us realize what Christmas is all about.”

Jackson said had she not agreed to be a volunteer at last week’s Community Christmas Tree party, she would never have been able to help the family in need.

“If we hadn’t went up there that day and worked Little Jimmie, and if Tom (Colley) hadn’t asked us if we knew of anyone in need, we would have never went up to see that family,” Jackson said. “I just thought God just kind of opened doors that needed to be opened.”

Jackson said her first year of volunteering at the Little Jimmie party was a memorable experience.

“Oh, it was great,” she said. “It was a wonderful experience. I plan to do it next year. It touches your heart. It’s just a wonderful thing to do for the families.”

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdonline.com