School marks Jesus' birthday with party for new babies

Several truckloads of baby items taken to pregnancy help center

Published: January 24, 2009

By Maryanne Meyerriecks
Fort Smith Correspondent

Maryanne Meyerriecks

Abraham Sharum, a preschooler at Christ the King School in Fort Smith, carries the Infant Jesus up to the Christmas tree Dec. 17 so he can be presented with his birthday gifts.

Maryanne Meyerriecks

Abraham Sharum, a preschooler at Christ the King School in Fort Smith, carries the Infant Jesus up to the Christmas tree Dec. 17 so he can be presented with his birthday gifts.

FORT SMITH -- Babies throughout the River Valley area had a merry Christmas this year thanks to students at Christ the King School.

On Dec. 17, the school held its third annual "Happy Birthday Jesus Party," collecting several hundred boxes of disposable diapers, wipes, one-piece outfits and other baby items for Heart to Heart Pregnancy Support Center. But even more importantly, the students had been praying and sacrificing all month to honor Jesus and help the area's neediest babies.

"Whenever the students do a good deed or say a special prayer they put a slip of paper in their God boxes," principal Marna Boltuc said.

There was a hushed atmosphere of anticipation as preschooler Abraham Sharum reverently carried the baby Jesus down the aisle toward the decorated Christmas tree in the parish center. Paula Sharum, his grandmother, watched proudly and said, "It's a chance for these students who really have so much to give to new babies like Jesus who don't have anything, because Heart to Heart is for mothers and babies."

Abraham carefully adjusted baby Jesus' blankets so that he was in a comfortable position to receive the gifts from the students. While "Mary, Did You Know?" played in the background, each class reverently processed to the Christmas tree, carrying their God boxes and individual baby gifts.

April Moore, Heart to Heart's development director, who has a 7-month-old son, Channing, told the children how much these gifts and prayers would mean to new mothers and babies in difficult circumstances.

The gifts around the Christmas tree extended many feet outward by the time the sixth graders brought their gifts up. The students went back to class as parents and volunteers filled several sport utility vehicles and trucks with the Heart to Heart donations and continued the celebration at lunch time with a cupcake party.

Heart to Heart director Theresa Reeves praised the school and its students for helping the agency with its ever-expanding ministry. They have been able to add two Spanish parenting classes and have just received a grant to sponsor the 24-7 Parenting Program, developed by the National Fatherhood Initiative, to teach young men how to be good dads. They have been teaching chastity classes at the Sebastian County Juvenile Detention Center for more than a year. They were initially contracted for only one month, but the classes were so successful that they were asked to continue them.

"Sometimes girls will come and visit us after they are released just to talk," Reeves said.

"At Heart to Heart we are reaching more clients than ever," she added. "We have had over 2,100 client services this year. The Happy Birthday Jesus Party is a true blessing to our center. The gifts the children have given will bring encouragement and hope to our clients."