During the month of December, children, adults, volunteers and staff members spent countless hours sorting and packing gift bags and hampers for the disadvantaged. All in all we distributed food and gifts to over 6500 people. Thank you all so much for being a part of this work!
Last week we traveled up the West Coast to a small town called Laingville near St. Helena’s Bay, where hundreds of children were invited to the local community hall for a Christmas show. A short DVD explaining the meaning of Christmas and some interactive songs were part of the program. After talking to the children about our first-ever Christmas present, Jesus, and how He wants to be a part of our lives, Amy (12) let 402 Children in a Salvation prayer. Part of the afternoon’s programme was the distribution of advent calendars, drinks, chocolates, toys, and goodie bags. What fun the children had peeking into their bags and finding all their “treasures.” What fun WE had having the opportunity to put the “Christ” into Christmas for these sweet children.
One Christmas Eve, the presents and snacks we brought were a happy surprise for the little patients of the Sarah Fox Convalescent Hospital. We went from bed to bed, helping each child unwrap their present, and we were able to share in their joy and pleasure. After visiting with the children we gave gift hampers to all of the staff, who were thrilled with them!
More than 1500 people (including 591 children) were left destitute when a fire ripped through the informal settlement in Valhalla Park on the Eve of Christmas. The day after Christmas we collected and loaded two large van-loads of goods to distribute to these people. Included in the goods were enough chocolates and toys for all the children. We arrived at the civic center to unload the goods and found social workers who hadn’t slept for days, overwhelmed with the task of caring for so many with so little resources. When they saw the volume and variety of goods we had brought they were touched to tears and gratefully hugged us and thanked us for coming. Thank you for helping us to help these fire victims in their time of need.
Each year, on Christmas day, we open our mission to the homeless and reach out to those who have to be working. All are invited to share Christmas supper and pudding with us. We also gave out meals to police and security personnel at work on Christmas. A highlight for some was an impromptu “performance” by our 2-5 year old children when they decided to serenade a small group with Christmas carols. Everyone left with a gift hamper and a hug, and it was truly a very merry Christmas for us all!
As part of our Christmas projects we dropped off food, toys, and chocolates to the residents of two centres for women and children in crisis.
Our visit with presents and chocolates to the local community clinic was a pleasant surprise to the many patients waiting to see the doctor this morning.
