Healing Waters Invites 50 Families to Sunday Dinner

 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” - Matthew 25:35-40.

By Angelique T. Gayle

On Sunday December 22, The Temple of Healing Waters’ members hustled and bustled, as they greeted people from the Loudoun County community.  Many of the members doubled as volunteers and servers, warmly welcoming any and everyone.  Big smiles and red Santa hats adorned the faces and heads of children and adults alike.

This is Healing Waters sixth annual Red Sunday event.  The church, located in Dulles, Virginia is dedicated to helping and healing people—physically and spiritually.  Red Sunday was birthed and has thrived on those two principles.  It was a vision of Chad Carlton, Pastor of Healing Waters, eight years ago.

“A vibrant church is one that’s doing missions. It’s one thing to be empowered by the Holy Ghost, but it’s another thing to come outside the walls of the church and take what we’ve been empowered with and distribute to someone else,” said Carlton.

Over the past six years, Red Sunday has evolved.  It grew from the church sponsoring a few select families, fulfilling their wish lists to helping, feeding, clothing and giving gifts to the needy families in the Loudoun community.

Each year, the event has drawn a bigger crowd and this year was no different.  More than 50 families attended seeking help, health, hope and hugs, but attendee, Anna Bonilla, simply returned to give back.  She came back to say, “Thank you”.

“We are very thankful,” said Bonilla. “They attended to us very good and they were kind.”

Prayer Stop ministry was on site to pray for those with prayer requests.  Prayer Stop is a part of Healing H20’s Prayer Ministry and often conducts prayer throughout the community.  Bonilla attended Red Sunday in 2012 and received prayers for her ailing daughter.  This year, she returned with good news.  Her daughter received a kidney transplant and is doing well.  This time Bonilla brought friends, Roxana Reyes and Maria Mendoza, with her. 

“We are very happy for Christmas.  We needed clothes and food for the kids,” said Reyes.

Healing Waters partnered with Mobile Hope, an organization dedicated to helping at risk youth, to provide health services, clothes, toys and gifts for the children and families.  They also partnered with Johnny Ray’s Soul Food Restaurant to cater the 350 dinner plates that were distributed to the community.

“I think the event went great,” said Donna Fortier, founder of Mobile Hope.

This is Mobile Hope’s third consecutive year working with Healing Waters and they are excited about the partnership.

“We like partnering with churches and we like being asked to do this every year; we also happen to love the people who run it,” said Fortier.

Jimmy Salgado, 18, a senior at Park View High School attended the event to help his grandmother, 69-year old Maria Rivera who stopped by to receive food and get her blood pressure checked.

“She needs the help and she needed my help,” said Salgado.  “My grandma doesn’t have the opportunity to check her own health, so this helped a lot.”

Founded by Pastor Chad Carlton in Sterling, Virginia, The Temple of Healing Waters COGIC is an International Church committed to fostering the principles of excellence, empowerment, restoration and healing that provides a biblical basis for personal achievement naturally and spiritually.  Pastor Carlton’s ministry spans the globe, offering a renewed sense of hope to those who are lost and hurting.  The prophetic ministry at The Temple of Healing Waters has been accompanied by signs, wonders and miracles being performed.  Join them at their Sunday weekly worship service, beginning at 10 a.m.

Angelique T. Gayle can be reached at gayle.angelique@gmail.com.