Thursday, December 21, 2000

Mission becomes tradition

Lewis

For some families, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Grandma's tamales or pan de polvo, Dad reading " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas," taking in the annual production of "The Nutcracker" or attending Christmas Eve midnight Mass.
   But for Gloria Lewis and her family, the holidays wouldn't be the same without sharing a little bit of Christmas with those who have no home of their own.
   It all began 12 years ago when Lewis embarked on a Christmas mission in memory of her deceased sister, who Lewis believes is now her guardian angel.
   12 years running
   Lewis, whose brothers and sisters grew up in poverty, never forgot the help her mother, a single parent, got from the Salvation Army during the holidays and decided that now that she had the means ,she would warm the hearts of those less fortunate when they needed it the most.
   She filled Christmas bags and stockings and with the help of her mother, siblings, nieces, nephews and other relatives, went out onto the streets of Corpus Christi handing out the goodies to the homeless during the wee hours of Christmas Eve.
   Twelve years later, the mission is now a family tradition, drawing Lewis' family even closer in this ever-humbling experience.
   Strangers may come first on this family's Christmas list, says Lewis, but the last to receive get the best gift of all - family unity.
   "My son-in-law asked me just the other day how I keep on going," said Lewis, 55, who uses a cane and scooter to stay mobile because of osteoarthritis in both knees. "I get my strength from my mother (who died last year). I feel her faith and that has allowed me to continue what made her so proud.
   "I have my missions to do and my knees aren't going to hold me back."
   Stockings loaded with care
   Every year, Lewis, now retired and living in a Houston suburb, drives to Corpus Christi in time for a family Christmas party on Dec. 23. After the party, they form an assembly line to fill each bag with cookies, cheese, crackers, pudding, fruit cups, bean dip and chips, juice and candy. In addition to the food items, the stockings, reserved for children, get stuffed with a teddy bear and other small toys.
   Lewis sets her alarm for 4:30 a.m. Christmas Eve; all meet at a relative's house, where they load up their cars. This year, they are giving out 125 Christmas bags and 50 stockings.
   At 6:15 a.m., the entire family heads out to distribute, with Lewis' eldest brother leading the caravan and another family member dressed as Santa.
   After their delivery to the homeless around the Salvation Army and the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission, the family heads to a local restaurant for breakfast, where they share their thoughts on the morning's event and vote to see who gets to play Santa the next year. Lewis then gets back on the highway, to get home in time for Christmas.
   "I'm so amazed at my mother-in-law, who makes the effort to push herself for this," said Ramon Trevino Jr. , Lewis' son-in-law. "I feel so fortunate to be a part of this."