Breakfast with Santa
Our friends at the Marietta First Baptist Church here have done it again! Another wonderful holiday season was kicked off for the families of our Family Dependency Treatment Program. There is no better description of the amazing event than the thank you letter written by Judge Juanita Stedman to the church.
In Judge Stedman's words:
CIA Class/Larry Stevens
Dear Friends,
This past Saturday the moms, dads and children that are participants in our Family Dependency Treatment Court were part of what many of our families have been looking forward to since last Christmas’ Breakfast with Santa at First Baptist Church of Marietta. Once again there was wonderful holiday chaos with Santa, food, face painting, family portraits, gifts and so much more. All which took much effort from your Sunday School Class.
Each family comes with their own individual story which includes the tragedy of parents whose drug addiction resulted in their family being torn apart, unemployment and often homelessness. Many of the children have spent many holidays sad and disappointed. Yet, looking at the faces of those children, hearing their laughter and even feeling their hugs at Breakfast with Santa, one could not see their hidden scars. Instead all of you gave them a family holiday time like all of us have spent with our own children. With that comes not only joy but for those parents a sense of dignity many of them have not experienced as parents. Thank you!!
Some of the parents in attendance have children in foster care. That is true of Christina and Marty who were at Breakfast enjoying a visit with their five month old baby. Both are meth addicts who were living under a bridge in Cobb County
CIA, Christians in Action, what an appropriate name for your Sunday School Class. Your “action” as Christians which included hard work, kindness, generosity and acceptance gave all the children a wonderful time with their parents… a life long memory. I just heard the quote, “we gain blessings by association” and I assure you that after spending Saturday with all of the CIA members at Breakfast with Santa I, my staff and all our families are truly blessed.
Thank you for showing our families the true meaning of Christmas in such a very special way. Each of you and the entire First Baptist Church of Marietta mean so much to our Court and the families we serve.
Sincerely,
Juanita P. Stedman
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