VIENNA — The Vienna Christian Life Assembly (VCLA) is one of the churches in the community known for its generosity and sharing ministry. Each Christmas season, the church members have a Christmas Toy Giveaway that helps so many people provide Christmas for their children. It’s a lot of work for the church members but their hearts are in it. Rev. Clifford Wagner said the annual toy giveaway would not be possible without the generosity of people in the community and beyond who donate used and new toys.

Wagner was the minister who gave the Thanksgiving message at the annual Vienna Ministerial Alliance (VMA) Thanksgiving Service, held this year at Guardian Angels Church in Brinktown. The community service is an opportunity for Christians of various churches to come together to worship and enjoy fellowship.

In his Thanksgiving message, Rev. Wagner said the VMA helps people throughout the year who come to them in dire need. Many receive gasoline vouchers.  In his message, Rev. Wagner said if they only gave those people vouchers, they would be shorting them. These people are having a hard time in their lives. They also need to give them hope that their lives will get better. The apostle Paul said, “Be ready to give an account for the faith that lies within you.” Rev. Wagner said this means be ready to tell somebody you are a Christian. “That’s the hope that we have in Christ.”

After the community Thanksgiving service at Brinktown, a man walked up to Rev. Wagner and placed a $20 bill in his hand, saying, “Here, brother, buy some diapers for the toy drive.”

Rev. Wagner went to Dollar General and saw there were many types of diapers so he asked a clerk there to help him. He bought two number threes and two number fours and gave them to the church members at VCLA, saying, “I don’t know where to put them.” The ladies took care of it.

The toy giveaway was held Dec. 6 and 7 at VCLA and people stood in line for over two hours on Friday night, a cold night, to have the opportunity to choose free toys for Christmas giving to children. They came from Maries County and beyond. One grandmother drove from Plato and waited two hours in line to be one of the first to enter the area where an enormous amount of toys were neatly placed on several very long tables. Also offered for free were children’s coats, and used clothing, shoes and household items. Wagner said last week they are still giving away toys and continue to receive generous donations in their dropbox trailer outside. He said the need is tremendous, but people are very generous. About 300 people were helped the first weekend.

Wagner was outside on Saturday when the toy giveaway closed. The last people to be served was a young couple with a baby in tow, who came out and he asked if they found some things they could use. The couple enthusiastically said yes they did and how it was unbelievable what they received and how helpful it was. They told Wagner they lost their home during the May tornado in Jefferson City and had been living here and there since that time. Only recently had they found another place to live and were no longer homeless. At the toy giveaway, besides toys, they chose clothing, sheets for their bed where before they’d had none, and some pictures to put on the wall. And, they took all the diapers. Wagner said those diapers had stayed at the toy giveaway the whole time, through all those people, and the last people who were there took them.

“God laid it on one man’s heart to give me twenty dollars to go buy diapers. I did and the person with the greatest need came in. They were the last people and they needed those diapers—the last person. It’s a supernatural thing. “Whenever God tells you to do something, do it,” Wagner said. “It’s how God works. We had sheets and pictures that nobody wanted, but they did.”

One lady told Wagner she was going to ask her brother to give her money to buy her grandchildren $10 gift cards to McDonalds. She would pay him back. Wagner asked her if she was coming to the toy giveaway and she said, “No, that’s for people who really need it.” He told her, “No, it’s for people like you. It’s the reason we have it.” She came and found toys for her grandchildren.

Wagner said they see both parents and grandparents who want to provide Christmas for their children but the obstacles in their lives prevent it. Wagner said the VCLA members worked very hard for weeks at a time getting ready for this annual toy giveaway. Their hearts are in it and with smiles they serve the people who come to them for help. But, Wagner said he can’t emphasize enough that without everybody rallying and coming together to donate used toys and buying new toys just for the giveaway, makes it possible.

The toy giveaway has grown each year with more donations and more people in need. They are already planning for next year and looking at how they can better accommodate the people.

“I call it all a victory.” He said without God laying it on people’s hearts to give and donate, what the VCLA members do with the toy giveaway, “It just wouldn’t happen.”

There are children, too, who go through their toys and share them with those who have none by donating them to the toy giveaway. This is hard for children, but it teaches them something important. “They are helping others who aren’t as blessed as they are. It’s a real teachable moment,” Wagner said, adding that the toy giveaway is an opportunity for a lot of lessons to be learned. One thing he’s seen again and again is that the people they help are truly thankful.