This Is Carolina: Grand Strand ministry spreads unconditional love with gift boxes

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - You can feel the unconditional love at Agape Love Box Ministry and that love is delicately placed into decorative boxes, with precious gifts for people who need it the most.

“When people are down and they’re hurting, and they feel like there’s either family members aren’t around or their friends aren’t comforting them, it just comforts them,” Judy Wilmot said.

“We want people to know that they are loved and cared about,” Marion Brooks said.

Wilmot and Brooks founded the ministry in 2019, which quickly outgrew Wilmot’s dining room table and into the Grand Strand Community Church.

“A lot of people that are part of our group now, have received a box one way or another. And that could be that they’re going through cancer, that they’ve lost a loved one, or they’ve had a physical illness of some sort. It could be anything,” said Wilmot.

Judy Resnick received a box and now spends her time paying it forward.

“I’ve done it enough times that it connects your heart. Your heart connects to a complete stranger through God’s love and that is such the beauty of this ministry,” said Resnick.

She’s part of the well-oiled assembly stations.

First building the boxes that are tailored to men, women and couples.

Wilmot said every box gets a mug, a pen, a journal and a devotional. The items are all personalized with scriptures or words of encouragement along with a handwritten note. The rest of the box then gets filled with a few thoughtful trinkets.

“Just some little things that would be personal, that they could use and see in their house, that reminds them that Jesus loves them and that’s what it’s all about,” said Brooks.

The women finish by fluffing up the boxes with colorful crinkled tissue paper and a pristine one that’s perfectly placed on top.

The boxes are finally handed over to the decoration station where they’re wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bows, prayed over and delivered.

“We went to the hospitals, we went to assisted living. We’ve gone to nursing homes, we’ve gone to Meals on Wheels. We’ve gone to veterans. You name it. When there’s a need we want our foot in the door to get it there because we know what the box does,” Wilmot beamed.

The women said they are grateful for the help they’ve received so far, and call themselves the three “T” ministry.

“You give us either your time, like these ladies have done, your talent, which is a lot of women that create things that you’ll see that they put together that are great, and your tender,” said Wilmot.

Agape Love Box Ministry solely works off of donations.

“It’s very rewarding on both ends I think. And I think this ministry is growing because people are seeing the benefits of it,” Resnick said. “How do you go up to a complete stranger and make them feel loved? It’s not the easiest thing to do in this world. But you can do it through a box.”

Agape Love Box Ministry said it hopes to expand in the future and bring in high school students or the Boys and Girl Scouts to volunteer.

Click here if you’d like to learn more about their mission or to volunteer.

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