The Forgiveness Foundation
Christmas Card Outreach 2012
May 17, 2012
Dear Friend,
Christmas is just over seven months away! Have you started thinking about Christmas gifts yet? We have! Here at The Forgiveness Foundation we hand draw over 3,200 Christmas cards to send to the men and women on death row in the United States. For many on death row, the Christmas card they receive from The Forgiveness Foundation will be the only gift the inmate receives for Christmas. Christmas is traditionally spent with family and loved ones, which makes it hard for people in prison generally, and especially hard for the men and women who are isolated on death row. Belonging is an important part of being human, and, I suspect it is why The Forgiveness Foundation begins receiving letters in September from inmates asking us to remember them with a Christmas card.
Seven months may seem like a great deal of time to get ready, but let us assure you it is not. We have to order the card stock and envelopes, hand draw every Christmas card with colored pencils, hand write a scripture passage and personal note, in seasonally appropriate colored ink, on the inside flaps of every Christmas card. Unlike store purchased cards, the cards drawn by The Forgiveness Foundation volunteers become art work that decorates the cell of the recipient and shares the love of Jesus Christ and all of us at The Forgiveness Foundation. Did you know that more men and women on death row come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ through our Christmas card outreach than any other time of the year? I haven’t forgotten the envelopes: every envelope is addressed by hand in seasonally appropriate colored ink. We want as many believers sharing the love of Christ with every card drawn as possible.
Help us fulfill the great commission by taking the love of Jesus Christ, the Gospel, to every man and woman on death row in the United States: “[Jesus] said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” (Mark 16:15, NIV) We need to start drawing, but before we can start drawing, we need to purchase the supplies needed for The Forgiveness Foundation Christmas Card Outreach 2012. Prayerfully consider a gift to The Forgiveness Foundation Christmas Card Outreach 2012.
Cards and Envelopes $ 969.00
Postage 1,750.00
Red and Green Ink Pens 95.94
Colored Pencils 259.00
Total: 3,073.00
You can make your gift online by going to our website, www.theforgivenessfoundation.org, and clicking on the PayPal logo and following the instructions. If you prefer, you may mail your gift to The Forgiveness Foundation, P.O. Box 2634, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902.
We need more! Your time! In early September, we will need a minimum of 300 volunteers to come out and draw the Christmas cards, print the scripture verse in the card, and address the envelopes. The Forgiveness Foundation will supply everything needed to draw, inscribe the cards, and address the envelopes. Light refreshments will be supplied. More details to come!
We need even more help! Your prayers! If you are unable to support The Forgiveness Foundation Christmas Card Outreach 2012 financially or with your time– you can still be an active participant. Pray! Pray for those who are able to support The Forgiveness Foundation Christmas Card Outreach 2012, pray for the artists and inscribers whom the Lord touched to do this work, pray for the men and women who receive a Christmas card. Pray especially for those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, the Christ.
Godspeace!
Rodney Rexrode, Executive Director
The Forgiveness Foundation