I suppose you and your people are wondering what disposition we made of the clothing, toys, etc., you sent us. They were received Saturday P.M., December 28, at Falcone, N.C., that being our nearest railroad shipping point, about 14 or 15 miles from where we live. We did not distribute them until Saturday, January 4, as we wanted to wait until the children would be home from school. Then, too, we sorted them out, so that when we arrived at a home the gifts would be easier to distribute, as we didn't want to keep the little children out in the cold any longer than was absolutely necessary. Some of them had to walk about half a mile to reach the car and it is real winter here now.

I am going to try to put on paper the scenes we witnessed distributing the clothing, oranges, candy, toys and nuts. First of all an old lady 75 years of age had started to walk to the post office, a distance of nearly five miles. On the way she stopped at our cabin. She was very thinly clad, wearing a little thin and much worn Spring coat. It was a bitter cold day and she was so cold she could hardly talk. We fitted her up in one of the coats and other needed clothing, gave her some oranges and sent her on her way rejoicing. After she left we started with the old car loaded down with the many presents. The road was so bad we had to drive out of it into a small stream of water, which we followed for quite a distance.

Our first stop was at a home in which I had visited some time before in house to house visitation. The mother had told me then they would not be able to provide any Christmas for the children. It was quite a long ways from the nearest point to which we could get the car. The mother brought the children to where we were parked. They were all very poorly clad. The mother was wearing a very thin dress and an old ragged coat that she could hardly fasten around her, a pair of men's old shoes, and no stockings at all. The children were dressed equally as bad. The smallest of the children, a little boy about two years of age, had on some kind of a little wrap the mother had made for him. We gave the mother a coat, a pair of shoes and other clothing, also a coat for the oldest girl and something in the way of much needed clothing for them all, as well as oranges, candy, nuts and toys. To one of the smallest girls, about seven years of age, we gave a doll. Her mother remarked that the child had begged for a doll for Christmas.

I wish you could have witnessed the scene, the old car parked on the side of the little mountain trail, boxes of clothing and other gifts on the side of the car, and sitting in the trail; as this poor mother and children gathered around them and we fitted out in warm clothing and given the other presents. There is no word in which to describe this scene and especially the little girl that wanted the little doll as she hugged it in her arms with her little hands full of candy and nuts.

And so to the next home, which is one of the poorest I have ever visited here in the mountains. The house is just a one room shed-roof affair with an old stone table, and two beds. I think they have about eight children. How they live there I don't know. The mother came to the car with some of the children. She was wearing a pair of overalls and a man's shirt, an old coat she said belonged to a sister-in-law. The least child, two years old, had some kind of an old sweater pulled down over him and his little feet were just about on the ground. At first he was afraid of us, but after I gave him some candy he was alright. I don't think I will ever forget the child as he stood shivering in the cold with hardly any shoes or clothing on. His little hands reminded me of bird claws, as he hungrily clutched the bag of candy and nuts. We gave the mother a coat and other clothing, also clothing for the children, and oranges, candy, toys and nuts.

And on to the next home and so on and on through the day, bringing warmth, comfort and happiness to mothers and children, with the gifts. At every home we also gave a Gospel of John. These were our happiest days through the holidays in being able to help in these needy homes. As some one has said, "The best gifts are those we give."

But for you and the good people of Faith Temple, these poor homes would not have had any Christmas. One man almost cried as he told me of his little girl asking him to bring some candy home, and he said, "I just couldn't buy it." I wish it were possible for me to take every man, woman and child who had part in this by the hand and try, just try to describe the happiness in which they had a part in bringing to these poor people.

Pray that the saving gospel of Jesus Christ will be definitely established through these mountains. Although it may not be possible to provide the material needs, they can hear the story of Jesus, the world's Christmas gift.