Top 5 Feel-Good Stories for Thanksgiving: 11/29/24 | The Wrap Up | PragerU

it's Thanksgiving week and we're counting down this month's top Feelgood stories hurricane stricken communities team up to make sure their kids have a Merry Christmas a boy in Sierra Leon regains his sight thanks to an international medical mission in Indiana a local charity steps up to give a veteran a new home after a devastating fire a son surprises his dad with a stunning gift 40 years in the making and churches Across the Nation come together to give thousands of turkeys to families in need there's so much to be thankful for this holiday season let's get into it right now what's up guys welcome to the wrapup where we break down the biggest stories of the week that you might have missed but need to know I'm your host Casey communities devastated by Hurricane Helen banded together for a church run giftgiving campaign that has already packed thousands of boxes with Essentials and toys for children and need this Christmas Fox News reported that Operation Christmas Child a global initiative of Reverend Franklin Graham amitan purse sends shoe boxes filled with personal care items school supplies and more to Children particularly those in war torn or disaster stricken areas despite challenges from the storm including damage to the organization's headquarters in Boom North Carolina volunteers have distributed thousands of heaters generators blankets and winter supplies to victims Graham told Fox News quote this project started with just 11,000 shoe boxes in 1993 and this year we hope to reach 12 million children around the the world Samaritans purse also organized what's been called the largest civilian airlift operation in American history conducting 358 missions so far at Damascus Virginia's First Baptist Church part of the community's shoe box collection was washed away in the floods of Helen but communities from all over the nation stepped up to help Mark and Cherry brumelow traveled all the way from Texas to volunteer in North Carolina packing 15,000 shoe boxes with their small Church of just 55 members Graham said that one cup even packed shoe boxes by candlelight during a power outage while another saved theirs from rising flood waters Graham said quote there are so many stories here of people who love God love their neighbors and love children around the world in a heartwarming story from Sierra Leon a 7-year-old boy named mamadu has regained his sight thanks to a life-changing eye surgery Fox News reported that mamadu who was born with bilateral cataracts had been gradually losing his vision since birth his condition which causes cataracts to develop in both eyes early in life can lead to total blindness if untreated for years mad's condition affected his daily life his mother Salma to recalled how her son faced teasing from other children and struggled at school he was going to school but could not see or write clearly she said despite attempts to get surgery at local hospitals mad's condition worsened as he Grew Older Mercy Ships which sends medical ships to countries around the world to provide critical surgeries arrived in Sierra Leon and mamad du was selected for this lifechanging procedure on February 7th Dr rikus performed a small incision cataract surgery on mamadu which took just 2 hours the results were immediate the next day when the eye patches were removed mamadu was initially confused but soon began to react to the world around him smiling at the people who had gathered to see his transformation after his surgery Madu started playing with toys and even riding a toy motorcycle around the ward a month later he and his mother returned to the ship for celebration of sight to mark his recovery salamatu expressed her Joy saying my son can see me she now hopes her son will grow up to become a doctor and one day help others just like the doctors who helped him a disabled Vietnam veteran and his wife who lost everything in a devastating fire earlier this year are now receiving much needed support from the community and a local charity in Fort Wayne Indiana Ron Marley a veteran who has owned the property where his house stood since returning from the war and his wife Judy were left heartbroken after a fire destroyed their home in January Ron said quote it's been devastating I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy in response the shepherd's house a nonprofit organization that supports homeless veterans stepped in to help on their website Shephard's house states it is a quote long-term residential program for homeless veterans who are alcohol and chemically addicted or struggle with mental health issues in response to the tragic fire they're providing the Marley's with a new home to be placed on their land the couple has been overwhelmed by the community support people have donated furniture and have volunteered to help clean up the property so it can be ready for Christmas for the Marley's this support has turned their holiday season into one of Hope and Recovery a Texas father was moved to tears when his son surprised him with the car of his dreams that was almost identical to the one he had to sell more than 40 years ago just to pay for diapers Earl G had bought a 1967 Camaro SS when he was only 22 but life changed for Earl when he married Mona and had two children by the early 1980s with a growing family to support he sold his car Earl would joke to his son Jared now 40 saying quote you needed diapers and that's what happened to that car in 2021 after a successful year in business Jared set out to find an identical Camaro after 2 years of searching he found a perfect match just 70 M away Jared then spent the next 2 years secretly restoring the car to make it even better than the one his dad had sold the surprise was revealed at Earl's 65th birthday party when a magician unveiled the car check it out that is not just a 6 to7 Camaro right that is your 67 camer that is your car thanks for the dive for money D Jared said the gift was his way of showing his father how much he loved him and appreciated everything he did it was a gift 41 years in the making churches Across the Nation are coming together this Thanksgiving to ensure that those in need have a Holiday to Remember Distributing thousands of turkeys and meals to families and individuals facing hardship Breitbart reported that in Tampa Florida 60 volunteers gathered at Winter's Worship Center early Saturday morning to distribute around 2,000 free turkeys and groceries Pastor Brenda fruster said quote we feel like right now because of Helen and Milton that the people in our community need the church and they need organizations because people are without food they're still without a place to stay some people are still in a hotel in Knoxville Tennessee 750 volunteers at Grace Baptist Church handed out over 1100 Thanksgiving meal boxes and 250 bags of groceries in Richmond Virginia Trinity Baptist Church's annual Thanksgiving drive-through distribution served more than 140 meal boxes continuing a tradition that's been running since 1918 on the west coast Riverside Central Community Christian Fellowship is preparing to serve thousands in need this Thursday including the homeless and senior citizens with a free Thanksgiving meal the church has hosted this event for 37 years and expects to serve upwards of 500 people on site and provide over 4,000 take-home meals and finally in Long View Texas members of Calvary Baptist Church are traveling to Eagle Pass to serve a special Thanksgiving meal to nearly 600 border patrol agents showing appreciation for their hard work and dedication these churches are making a significant difference proving that the spirit of Thanksgiving is Alive and Well in America from coast to coast that's all I have for you this week guys thank you so much for watching this video please do not forget to like subscribe and comment down below what you thought about these stories I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we'll see you here next week on the 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