Posted on 01/06/2004 8:57:16 AM PST by Mr. Silverback
Angel Tree, our Prison Fellowship program for prisoners’ children, is one of the great unheralded volunteer outreaches in America. Over the Christmas holidays these past few weeks, approximately 100,000 volunteers delivered Angel Tree gifts to more than 525,000 children of inmates.
You didn’t read about this in the newspapers, nor would I expect that you should. It’s not really that newsworthy that Christians help people in need. But there are two of our volunteers, who delivered forty presents, that I think you should have read about but didn’t. For reasons best known to themselves, the media ignored the fact that two of the volunteers were President and Mrs. George Bush. And they delivered gifts to forty inner-city kids in a church basement three days before Christmas.
President and Mrs. Bush arrived at three-o’clock, Monday, December 22, at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Now, presidents don’t move anywhere without a great deal of fuss. The police were out, the roads blocked, and Secret Service were roaming around the church. And when the president arrived, he was accompanied not only by his own team, but also by a pool of reporters, forty or so members of the press. For ten minutes they popped their flashbulbs, scribbled their notes, and then were ushered out.
I remember from my days with President Nixon what photo opportunities are: Get the picture and leave. So I thought the Bushes would shortly depart, but they didn’t. They stayed long after the cameras were gone to greet every child, to have their picture taken with them, their mothers, and their grandmothers, to talk with them, and to ask questions. Though the press didn’t report it, I noticed that both the president and Mrs. Bush talked to the Hispanic children in Spanish.
Just before the president left, I introduced him to Al Lawrence, a member of our staff. I told the president that I had met Al more than twenty years ago in a prison. Jesus had got hold of Al’s life, and he’s been working for us ever since. Then I told the president that Al’s son was now a freshman at Yale. At that point the president stopped, exclaimed, “We’re both Yale parents,” and threw his arms around Al Lawrence—an African-American ex-offender being embraced by the president of the United States in a church basement. The ground is indeed level at the foot of the cross.
I tell you this story because it’s a wonderful Christmas story, and you probably haven’t heard it. With all those reporters who crowded into that basement, the visit resulted in almost universal media silence.
I suppose there are many explanations for this, but I’ll offer mine. The president is a Christian who really cares for “the least of these,” who does this not for photo ops, but because he’s genuine. That is something that his detractors in the media simply can’t handle. Conservatives caring for the poor? Never. It dashes the stereotypes.
But surely Christians ought to be rejoicing that the most powerful man in the world and his wife, a couple of days before Christmas, had a wonderful visit with the most powerless people in our society.
After all, that echoes the Christmas message, doesn’t it? The most powerful came to be with the least powerful to give us hope.
I agree with your statement totally. I believe George W. was destined to be where he is at this critical time, to the benefit of us all. Our Lord works in exactly this way.
And animals.
For instance, compare Bush to Bill and Hillary. Where is SOCKS?
The Clinton's were not the kind of people that have or take care of pets.
The pets they had seemed to be ornaments to supplement their position. (as long as they had a staff that would care for the pets)
I have seen that animals can sense whom they can trust, and who is an a**hole.
Children can do the same, but can be fooled with 'words'.
It just amazes me how hateful a segment of our society is towards President Bush. I have asked these people, PLEASE NAME ONE THING HE DID WRONG.
Their answer, "I DON'T KNOW, I JUST HATE HIM."
I am not at all surprised to find GWB and WIFE doing this kind of thing. It is what we should expect of the American we choose to take the responsibility of the highest elected office, and a third of control of our government.
Sadly, we have accepted less, (much, much less) in the past.
President Bush did this act, partially as a response of the President, but mostly as a Christian. I assume he would have done it, President or not. That is the kind of man he is.
I would rather fall off a cliff, following President Bush's footsteps, than end up in a PLAYBOY pool following Meister Clinton.
I am not surprised the media did not report this.
Most of the media staff that have access to the White House were put in their place by Bush and treated as reporters (which is what they are). Those so treated were UPSET because they had special favoritism from past Presidents, inside news, scoops, etc. with which their employer would benefit.
Since they had that little perk taken away, they became totally hostile to the President.
They will never see that President Bush didn't 'take away' anything, but merely reacted to the truth of what these reporters had become.
Today is Epiphany and/or Orthodox Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you !
Yes.
President Bush flew onto the USS Abraham Lincoln to personally congratulate the crew for a MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. (my son was on the ABE LINCOLN).
President Bush quietly snuck into Iraq to have Christmas with the troops. To let them know he really cared about them. To surprise them. Because he did what real men do.
President Bush quietly appeared at this Christmas Celebration to let them know he cared.
Sorry, I am crying because it hurts so much.
Funny to feel joy and pain from the same news, isn't it?
I am so ashamed of many of my fellow Americans, and even myself, for not being as Christian as our President.
I am ashamed for the behavior of many of our past Presidents.
I feel empty compared to the fullness and light which President Bush must feel in his soul.
I wish you the very best of health and success and congratulations upon the impending birth of your child.
May your child live in a society where Christian love is seen as the ideal, instead of a reason for imprisonment and/or death.
Same here, I went back mentally if not literally. I have certainly criticised some of the President's policies and decicions and probably will again. But I don't believe I have ever criticized his character, and for a very good reason, it's exemplary.
I don't love everything that President Bush has done, but I love that he's a real man. And a great man. But more importantly, a good man...
Fantastic, Bush does it cause he cares and he is a Christian.
God Bless both of them! It is a comfort to know that he is in charge....
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