Salvation Army Saved Christmas

This was written by Greg Raposa, a friend from the Newport Ward (he actually served as Clyde's second counselor until the Stake took him).  He wrote it for our local newspaper - The Newport Daily News - last year for the Clergy Corner.  Because of health issues, he just contributed his last piece this month, December  2012.  Greg has done a lot for the good name of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the area.

Salvation Army Saved Christmas
I remember when I was 6, Christmas seemed special that year.  I was filled with the Christmas Spirit, putting together my costume for the Christmas Nativity at school.  I was a shepherd and my costume consisted of a plaid bathrobe, a striped towel to cover my heard and one of my father's neckties to secure the towel.  I saw my father's face beam as I came out on stage.  I remember feeling very Christmas-y.

On the day my parents were going Christmas shopping, they received a shock.  The money our father has been saving in his drawer for Christmas was missing.  They searched and searched to no avail, the money was gone.  It turned out my older brother had found the money in the drawer and had taken it and spent it with his friends.  I remember hearing my father crying in his room as he tried to understand why my brother would do such a thing.

As Christmas approached, we all were disappointed and angry with my brother.  Our family found it hard to even be in the same room with him.  My other brother chastised him and blamed him for ruining our Christmas I just felt sorry for my brother and our circumstance.  My parents wondered what they would do.  They had no more money and they no had other means to buy any presents.  We would have to celebrate Christmas the best we could.

Then Christmas Eve arrived.  Some of our relatives had given us gifts and it looked like we would have at least two presents each to unwrap.  I knew the present my uncle gave me was a pair of stocking top slippers.  He always gave me stocking top slippers for Christmas and it looked like he came through again, although they looked pretty lonely under the tree.

After my mom sent us to bed, I heard a car pull up and bit of commotion on our front porch.  The doorbell rang and I sneaked to the top of the stairs and I saw a man and a woman in dark colored uniforms.  I became afraid thinking they were the police looking for my brother.  I ran back to bed, pulled the covers up and went to sleep.  The next morning when I woke up, I thought, "Well, I guess I'll go downstairs and put on my slippers."  When I got to the living room, I gasped as I saw presents - lots of presents - under the tree!  I stood there for a moment in amazement.  "Is there really a Santa Clause?" I thought.  My whole family gathered in the room.  My brother who took the money sat on the side watching us opening presents.  I could see the dejection on his face as he watched each of us with presents.  I opened a great big package with my name on it.  It was the best thing ever to a six-year-old in the 1950's.  It was Roy Rogers Chuck Wagon set.  It had figures of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and Gaby Hayes.

There was Roy's horse Trigger, Dale's horse Buttermilk and their dog Bullet.  It included a large covered wagon, a jeep and all of the accessories to go with it.  This was the neatest thing I had ever seen.  Then I continued to unwrap gifts.  There were gloves and hats and shirts and pants and more.

As my brother sat off on the side, our father said, "Come on Mike, there's presents here for you, too."  My brother began to cry and ran and hugged our father.  We all sat on the floor, opening presents, playing with toys, laughing, singing, hugging, all with a bit of crying.  It was the first time that I remember that we had a family prayer.

That afternoon, while walking through Eisenhowever Park, (in Newport, RI) I saw the Salvation Army Band playing there.  As I approached, I noticed that the man playing the trumpet and the woman playing the trombone were the same people I saw at my house the night before.  I then realized that it was the Salvation Army that salvaged our holiday.  They inspired us to be grateful and helped us to forgive my brother.  This was without a doubt the best Christmas of my childhood!

To this day, when I see a bell ringer from the Salvation Army, I never pass without putting something in their pot of miracles. 

Have a Merry Christmas and a great holiday celebration!