Bus Brings Santa, Christmas Cheer, To Broken Arrow Community

Christmas came early for several dozen people in Broken Arrow as a bus-load of Santa's helpers took to the streets in a bus.

It wasn’t reindeer-powered, but it's the thought that counts, because what came out of the big red bus was some much appreciated Christmas gifts.

"I felt so good. Kids that usually weren't smiling like that, we got them to smile like that. It just feels so good to have happy stuff happen," said volunteer Patterson Hammond.

For two hours, about 30 volunteers from the Arrow Heights Baptist Church and the Get Out of the Bus Ministries rolled through the streets of Broken Arrow, sharing the gospel of Christ and holiday cheer.

Carl Powell with Youth Care Oklahoma said, "It lets my family and clients know people in the community care for them and they are not throw-away people."

John Clouse owns the bus and started Get Out of the Bus Ministries. His goal was to save souls, but instead of doing it from a big church or building, he went for a more hands-on approach.

"You're praying, and you're praying, and you're asking God to direct you to something different we already have in our community," he said.

Clouse said, every week, his ministry will travel around town - most often in the north Tulsa area - providing praise, worship, and scripture.

This time around, the bus traveled to bless others with gifts.

"It was all from donations. I would estimate I'd probably say we handed out $1,500 maybe $2,000 worth," Clouse said.

Considering all of the death and devastation being reported across the country and world, he said this is one way his group can help make it better.

"We can transform our community one person at a time," Clouse said.

This is only the third week Get Out of the Bus Ministries has been going out into the community; they do it every Thursday.

You can learn more about Get Out of the Bus here.