December 2021

BAGS OF LOVE

“These children don’t know where they’re going, and then they have to wait in a rigid office, usually late at night, while the social worker calls up different foster parents to place the kids in the correct homes.” Jewel Lien’s voice softens as she explains, “At this crucial waiting time, these children receive our Bags of Love. They are very vulnerable, so having their very own quilt to cling to in those moments of distress provides a great deal of comfort for these children. The bag, with a stuffed animal, toys, books, personal items, and a handmade quilt gives them an identity because most of the time they take nothing with them from their home, so the bag becomes the one thing that is their own, which was the original name of the project: ‘It’s My Very Own – Bags of Love.’ It gives them a sense of ownership when they are taken to the local agencies charged with removing children from unsafe homes.”

The little country Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ryley, Alberta acts as the command center for this great work, which extends to thirty childcare offices throughout the province. Jewel Lien, Nancy Clubb, and their army of volunteers have two motives that keep them going: a deep love for children and an abiding trust in the LORD.

“‘This is mine!’ the children say when they are picked up by their new foster parents,” Jewel tears up as she recalls. “’Don’t worry,’ they say, ‘I have my own stuff,’ while they sling the bag over their shoulder.”

Each bag is made specially for a boy or a girl and is stuffed with age-appropriate items. “We also put a little note in each bag, and childcare workers testify to the calming and comforting effects the bags have on children who have experienced such trauma.”

“Doing Bags of Love,” Nancy confesses, “we have gotten used to being blessed. Repeatedly, if we get a request for 20 bags somewhere, we will get a call from somewhere else within the hour saying, ‘I have 21 bags for you, Nancy.’ What we give out, we get back. God multiplies the loaves and fishes every single day, and none of us gets paid to do this work; we do it for L-O-V-E. We’re so busy, we just pray that God will give us enough energy to keep going.”

“Some of the quilts are drop dead gorgeous,” Jewel announces. “If you had them in a quilting shop, you would pay easily upward of $500 for them, and what’s really cool is that ninety percent of our helpers are not even members of our church. We’ve got people from every kind of religion imaginable, and they all say, ‘We love kids, and we love God, and that is what keeps us working together.’”

It Is Written Canada has received assistance to partner with Bags of Love to give one bag for every bag our viewers sponsor, up to a total of 350 Bags of Love, which means that together with your support, we can provide 700 children with their very own Bags of Love.

If you wish to donate to this project you can do so by clicking here and selecting “Bags of Love” under Designation.

You can also call It Is Written Canada at: (905) 404-6510, or send your donation to:

It Is Written Canada
Att: Bags of Love
Box 2010
Oshawa, ON L1H 7V4

On December 25, 2021, Jewel and Nancy will be sharing their remarkable story with It Is Written Canada on CTV, 3ABN, Hope Channel, Miracle Channel, Yes-TV, or any of the dozens of stations our programs are featured. After the airing date you can watch it here or on It Is Written Canada’s YouTube page by finding the program entitled: “They’re Providing Bags of Love to Children in Need.”

~ Mike Lemon