DC family receives Gold Star Christmas from strangers

WASHINGTON - A Gold Star family in D.C. was treated to a Gold Star Christmas by a family they had never met before.

Kristina Collins and her children serve in the D.C. area for a small Florida-based charity called Believe With Me. They received a call at the last minute from Rodeeka Jordan, a D.C. woman who just lost her husband while he was serving overseas.

Jordan said she just couldn't handle preparing for the holidays for her kids this year. So Collins and her family showed up on Jordan's doorstep on Thursday.

"They were not in a place to do Christmas for themselves," said Collins. "There are two daughters involved and the mom. So one week ago, last Thursday, our family sent out an email to our friends in McLean saying we need all these items."

And the donations came pouring in. Between that along with help from Believe With Me, they had mostly everything they needed within 24 hours such as gifts to pile under the tree, a large dinner feast and plenty of Christmas decorations.

"This was amazing," said Jordan. "This was such a great blessing and I am so grateful."

Believe With Me has worked in the past to provide gifts for Gold Star children. But this was the first family in the D.C. area to receive an entire Gold Star Christmas.

Jordan was so touched that she wanted to know what she could do to return the favor next year.

"We feel blessed that our family can do this," said Collins. "We feel blessed to be part of this group, and the look on that little girl's face and the joy that mom had when I called and told her that we were doing this is just absolutely what the holidays are all about."

For more information about Believe With Me, go to believewithme.com