Why we do this.
Gideon’s Christmas Wish toy drive is held in memory of a forever two-year-old, bright eyed, energetic little boy named Gideon. He loved trains, cars, and having adventures with his cousins. Most importantly, Gideon loved Jesus and he knew that Jesus loved him. On May 23, 2022, Gideon was pushing one of his favorite toy trucks while walking with me (his mom) to the mailbox. In the blink of an eye, he was in Jesus’s arms. A car pulled forward out of its parking space and the driver didn’t see Gideon. Our worst day was Gideon’s best day – he got to see Jesus face to face.
Some of the Cook Children’s ER staff asked if they could hold their annual Christmas toy drive in Gideon’s honor. Thus, Gideon’s Christmas Wish began. Our mission is to bring smiles, laughter, and hope to children and their families who are hurting and spending Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in the ER. Gideon’s life was short, but he is still having a big impact. His aunts, uncle, cousins, grandparents, and I all love and miss him so much and we cannot wait to see him again in Heaven.
For more on Gideon’s life and the origins of Gideon’s Christmas Wish, check out: https://redeemedmama.com/gideons-christmas-wish/.
Ways to participate in Gideon’s Christmas Wish.
- Visit participating business locations to drop off new toys between now and December 20th.
- Check out this Amazon Wish List for gift ideas. (You do not have to stick to that list of gifts. The ER services children ranging in age from 0-17 with a variety of interests – art, music, sports, princesses, science, etc. Feel free to purchase a gift you think they will enjoy.)
- If you would like to have a Gideon’s Christmas Wish drop off box at your local school, gym, or business please let me know and I will get you all of the information.
- Gifts can be sent to me or directly to: Cook Children’s Emergency Department, 886 6th Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104 *Make a note that this is for Gideon’s Christmas Wish.
The Impact of Gideon’s Christmas Wish.
Last Christmas Eve, I got to see Gideon’s Christmas Wish in action.
We collected hundreds of toys and brought them to Cook Children’s Emergency Department to be given to kids and their siblings who have to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas day in the ER.
There were a couple toys that arrived after all the other toys had been dropped off. On Christmas Eve, as I stood in the ER lobby waiting to deliver the last of the toys to the nurses, I watched a little child leaving the ER pause to pick out a toy from Gideon’s Christmas Wish before heading out the door. Seeing that interaction brought a huge smile to my face and tears to my eyes.
Moments later, I was met by Nurse Misty who had originally asked if Cook Children’s Emergency Department’s annual toy drive could be held in Gideon’s honor. She told me she had just the child in mind for one of the toys I handed over to her. The toy wasn’t late after all, it had arrived at just the perfect time for that specific patient. That’s God right there!
Nurse Misty lead me around the maze that is the ER and I saw huge boxes overflowing with Gideon’s Christmas Wish toys in every hallway. Multiple Cook Children’s ER staff told me how excited they are to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day because they get to see the joy on the faces of the children as they hand out toys. It was heartwarming to see the impact of Gideon’s Christmas Wish on the ER staff as well.
The staff said that a child was very distraught earlier that evening because Santa would not be able to find him since the child didn’t have a home and was spending Christmas Eve in the ER. The nurses loaded up that little child with many toys. The child was so excited that he got to have Christmas and wasn’t left out because of his current situation. The mission of Gideon’s Christmas Wish is to bring smiles, laughter, and hope to families who are hurting this Christmas. I’d say we accomplished that mission!
Christmas will always have sorrow mixed into it because Gideon isn’t here. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve others during this time. It doesn’t take away the pain, but I find joy in knowing we’re having a positive impact on other people experiencing a painful Christmas too. We have been comforted and now it’s our turn to comfort others.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” - 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Thank you all for blessing these families as well as the ER staff and for remembering Gideon this Christmas.