Monday, February 13, 2012

Mt Moriah Church Bag Ladies to the Rescue

    LaRue County is best known as the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.  Besides of its place in American history, LaRue County is known for its scenic countryside, friendly people, and is home to the Mt. Moriah Church "Bag Ladies."  Perhaps an explanation is in order.  The Mt. Moriah Church Bag Ladies weave comfortable, waterproof sleeping mats for the homeless using disposable grocery bags that seem to accumulate in everyone's kitchen.  Martha Childress was the first to make a sleeping mat from discarded plastic bags; these mats are durable, comfortable, and incredibly warm.  As these are made of  non-biodegradable plastic, the mats are impervious to water!  And they really are comfortable.  Surprisingly comfortable!  Martha then taught a group of ladies at Mt. Moriah Church to make these amazing plastic mats and the Mats for the Homeless ministry was born.  Each mat uses about a thousand plastic bags and may take as many as forty hours to craft.  Recently, Pastor Shannon McCubbins and his delegation of Bag Ladies left a supply of sleeping mats that will be distributed to those who are living on the streets and will not come into the Mission for help.  Only a cynic could resist Pastor McCubbins' wonderful Bag Ladies.   His motto is not to merely come to church but to be the church!  Just think--forty hours of tedious work and a thousand discarded bags to make a safe and comfortable sleeping mat for someone in need!  The Mt. Moriah Church Bag Ladies are a blessing!  Thank you, ladies!