Annual Single Mom's Spa Day

Yesterday, we held our 10th annual Spa Day for single moms. As the last weeks unfolded, women signed up in numbers we have never had before. By Saturday, we had 90 women, and about 90 children. We made pleas for more volunteers, bought more supplies and more food.
Sunday, after church service, all the workers came to the fellowship hall for a quick lunch we had set out. WOW. I was overwhelmed by the number of people who stayed to help.
In the end, only 53 women came, with about that many children. I never got a count of the volunteers, but I think at least 100. Men and women, boys and girls, all ages and abilities stayed to help. We had 7 women who are friends of a church member who came from out of town to help. The day was amazing. With so many workers, we were able to take care of the women very well. With the exception of the first 30 minutes, when the first women came before we were really set up, the day was smooth and without stress.
As a woman arrived, one of the men came and offered to take her car to be washed by a crew of men and boys. The woman would then be greeted, given name tags, and her children were taken to the appropriate area. She was then escorted into the registration area, then shown the areas of service where she could choose where she wanted to start; hair cut, pedicure, manicure, facial, make-up, clothing, or massage. Each area was set up with enough women working that there was almost no waiting. The refreshments were delicious and abundant. And, while the mom's enjoyed the pampering, volunteers filled back packs with school supplies for their children. Oh, and the children were treated to a carnival, complete with games, snow cones, crafts, snacks, and a movie.
The day was magnificent. I love this day of ministry. Some of the moms come every year, and we are happy to see each other. It is kind of like a family reunion, where we see each other only once a year, but it is always good. Most were new this year. Every single woman was loved on, , was cared for in a special way, and was thrilled to be there.
One woman left with huge garbage bags filled with clothes. Her sister said that each of her children had only 2 outfits to wear, so she was able to get all the clothes that they needed.
Another young woman told us that she was starting a new job on Monday, and found out Friday night that the babysitter she had lined up for her one year old is not going to work out. There was no way she could arrange for child care over the weekend, and she could not miss her first day at a new job. One of our volunteers offered to keep the baby until the mom could make other arrangements.
We had many great conversations, good connections, some prayer with the moms..
Mostly, we just reached out to love these women.
I wish that I could write a personal note to each person who helped, but I don't even have a list of everyone who was there. My heart is just overflowing with gratitude. What an amazing thing that I can ask for volunteers to spend an entire Sunday afternoon working to make the day special for a group of single moms who are strangers, and 100 people would come to do it.
At the end of the day, I heard several times, "Next year, we will..." How great is that. No one said, "This was too hard, I won't be back next year."
All the mom's left with big smiles, but you would expect that. All the workers left with big smiles, and THAT is GRACE!