Shelbyville—Thirty groups throughout Shelby County and the Louisville area have collected gifts for ministry centers to distribute throughout eastern Kentucky.
Eastern Kentucky SONrise, a ministry to help people in eastern Kentucky via networking, assists the missionaries who live and work in the various communities. Several years ago, SONrise helped provide more than 200 Christmas gifts for a few ministry centers in eastern Kentucky
The number of gifts provided has expanded each year, and in 2015, SONrise hoped to collect 1,000 gifts. In the end, their gifts totaled 1,036. The ministry centers then hosted parties to distribute the presents as children came to hear the Christmas story.
The WMU at Highland Baptist Church in Shelbyville assisted SONrise with preparing the gifts for distribution. Each gift is valued between $20 and $25. Gifts included items such as toiletries, toys, books, winter gloves, hats, scarves, school supplies and Christian items.
Linda Otterback, a Kentucky/NAMB MSC missionary serving with Eastern Kentucky SONrise, was enthusiastic about the number of gifts collected.
“We are most grateful for the help and encouragement of so many wanting to contribute to the children of eastern Kentucky,” Otterback said. (WR)
Myriah Snyder