A Testament to “It’s a God Thing”
At Gleaning For The World, we often say, “It’s a God thing.” This phrase reflects our belief in the divine orchestration of events that, in hindsight, reveal a greater plan at work. One such instance is our pajama program, which has brought warmth and comfort to countless children. Looking back, it’s clear that “It’s a God thing.”
Four years ago, local author Melissa Saville walked into the office of Michael Justice, the Director of the Gleaning Church Network. She introduced herself as the author of “The Bedtime Pajama Rhyme.” First impressions mean a lot, and Michael’s first impression of this young mother was that she had a heart for God and a heart to help children. Melissa wanted to partner with Gleaning to collect pajamas for needy children. Her visit that day was most certainly a “God thing.”.
She immediately went to work by placing collection boxes in local businesses and schools. She set up appointments for book readings to children. She made a connection with Harley Davidson of Lynchburg sharing how her father had passed away in a motorcycle accident on a return charity ride when she was a teenager. A fall charity motorcycle ride has helped collect hundreds of pairs of pajamas – “it’s a God thing.”
In the past four years, Melissa and her husband Mitch have worked diligently to collect pajamas and funding to purchase new pajamas. The efforts have helped several thousand children stay warm and sleep peacefully. “It’s a God thing.”
The partnership that Melissa has with Gleaning allows us to use our 501c3 status to collect funding and distribute pajamas locally, nationally, and occasionally even internationally. Each step of the way, we see how “It’s a God thing.”
To expand this wonderful program, we need your help! You can contact Gleaning by phone at 434-993-3600 or email michael@gftw.com. You can also reach out to Melissa on her Facebook page, “The Bedtime Pajama Rhyme.”
Together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of children, one pair of pajamas at a time. It’s a God thing.
In service and partnership,
