Small Murrieta Church Shows Big Heart

Though small in number, members of a Murrieta church brightened the holidays Thursday for some of southwest Riverside County’s youngest residents.

Passion Life Church hand-delivered more than 300 toys to Head Start centers in Murrieta and Temecula so that the preschool-aged children may have a merrier Christmas.

The toys were set out on tables and parents were invited to select two gifts per child then wrap them, according to Kymberly Russell, Head Start site manager for Murrieta and Temecula.

As many as 180 children from low-income families receive an early child education between the two locations, Russell told Patch. Head Start is a state- and federally-funded nonprofit agency that is always grateful for community donations to the families it serves, she explained.

Thursday was not the first time Pastor Phil Valdez of Passion Life Church had been to the centers. In August, the church gave Head Start 300 backpacks filled with school supplies.

"Love is best expressed in the action of giving and helping others,” said Valdez, who leads the church that was founded about a year ago.  The congregation of about 100-150 meets on Sundays at Murrieta Valley High School.