Church volunteers bring comfort and toys

All Tekasha Clark could do this holiday season was save. Her temporary job ended earlier than she expected. The baby was due any day now, and there were basics left to buy. She could not afford Christmas, for herself or anyone else.

But on Sunday, she did not care. Because a few feet away, standing outside Seattle International Church, there was a girl with a bag full of gifts. That 4-year-old girl was her daughter.

Clark smiled.

"My present is to know she has some," she said.

Over the course of two Sundays, with help from other agencies, Seattle International Church has given away about 22,000 toys to thousands of children in need. Church volunteers have also fanned out across the city, bringing toys to community centers and housing projects.

"When I was their age, I didn't have any of this," said Jazmine Simmons, 12, a volunteer. "I think they deserve it."

In the lobby of the Belltown church, there were yellow Tonka trucks and pink Barbie sets, red remote-controlled race cars and white touch-and-learn computers. With the flick of a switch, stuffed monkeys sang "Johnny B. Goode."

Each child left the church on Sunday with five gifts, plus a stuffed animal. The toys came courtesy of church members and organizations such as the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. All the gifts were new and current with trends in children's toys.

"If we wouldn't give something to our children, we're not going to give it to anyone else," said Pastor Julia Hampton.

Hampton and her husband, Raymond Hampton, senior pastor of the church, are foster parents who have strained, at times, to make their own ends meet. They have used the welfare system. They have felt the humiliation, Hampton said, that sometimes comes from having to ask for help.

And so they have tried to make charity as painless as possible. Last Sunday, they organized celebrations as part of church services, with family games and performances. They had raffles, with bicycles and iPods as prizes. Families came in droves, referred by social-service agencies, community centers and word of mouth.

As he stood surrounded by gifts on Sunday, Joshua McLean said there was only one thing missing: a Nintendo.

Of course, even if it landed in his lap, his mother would never let him keep it. She would not allow homelessness — let alone a Nintendo — to distract Joshua from his studies. "I want him to get into college, and then he can get it," said Jennifer McLean, who home-schools her son.

The McLean family was dressed in their finest for the Sunday church service. Under her snowsuit, 2-year-old Jaylynn wore a red velvet dress with small roses on its front. Under his sweater, 12-year-old Joshua wore a silky white shirt.

As the children picked through their gifts, giggling, McLean said she was grateful for things more basic. Good health. The prospect of work.

After years of shelters, motels and transitional housing, they finally had a home of their own. Joshua worried all year long they would lose it. Apart from the Nintendo, it was his other big Christmas wish — that they could stay.

"These toys will be old in a week," said McLean. "I still say the greatest gift is to have a roof over your head."

Cara Solomon: 206-464-2024 or csolomon@seattletimes.com