A CHILDREN'S HOME CHRISTMAS
So what's Christmas like at the Children's Home?
Christmas season starts with the staff picnic, when the staff members go out on a special picnic to plan out the schedule for the upcoming Christmas celebrations. Every year there are one or two dramas and one or two cantatas, but the question is which group will do which each year. This year, older boys are doing one cantata, and older girls will do another cantata, with a little friendly competition to see which is better! And this year the younger children will put on the Christmas drama. The gift distribution for all the children is traditionally held on the afternoon of Dec. 24. On the 25th itself, there is always the morning church service (this year it is a Sunday anyhow), and then there is the community gathering in which the meaning of Christmas is explained to friends from the surrounding community. In the evening there will be a community-wide dinner.
A couple of days after Christmas, the Home hosts a two-day volleyball tournament. Visiting teams are all organized by Home alumni, living in various places, along with two teams of senior students currently enrolled in the Home. This is a great time of fellowship, sportsmanship and fun! In the following days there will be a cricket match and a sports day for the children. The night of Dec. 31, there is another gathering for fellowship together, and a watch-night service to bring in the New Year with prayer and worship. New Year's Day also has a worship service, followed by a community lunch.
Many of the events are the same, year to year, but with different people doing different things, each year the celebrations are unique and special. Most importantly, the true meaning of Christmas is brought out in many of the events. As the children enjoy the fun events, it is good to see them grasp the reality of the Gospel message brought out in the Christmas story!
Projects
- We are seeking to raise an extra $5,000 to give Christmas gifts to each child in the Home and to help with expenses for special meals and treats during the Christmas celebrations. (If we receive more than what is needed for Christmas, the extra will be used for children's birthday celebrations in 2012.) To give towards this, use the DONATION information above on right. Please also send me an e-mail to let me know you would like your donation to be used for the Christmas gifts.
- Pray that the major renovation of bathrooms for the older girls and younger children's dormitories will move forward quickly and be completed well.
- We thank God for providing significant gifts for the scholarship fund to provide college or job training for our graduating students. Please pray that God will provide more for this fund, and that we will have wisdom in determining which students should get scholarships since we still don't have enough for all the children.