The smiles say it all!
Our joyous Christmas celebrations ended a rough year on a high note at the HOH.
Due to our numbers, we have learned it is much easier to stretch things out into a few days of celebrating rather than all in one day.
This year ended up being a week of celebrations with special events planned and the days in between used for catching our breath and then preparing for the next!
The benefit of such a big family is as they say in Haiti, "Men anpil chay pa lou" (Many hands make light work).
The first big event was a party to recognize the hard work and care our staff gives to our kids every day of the year. The kids put their hands together with Linda to create a lovely time of fun and food to thank them for all they do for us.
We were also grateful for those of you who gave us gifts for them, they were touched by your thoughtfulness.
The second event was the giving of gifts. Our family expands every holiday as former kids tend to come back "home" or else send their kids to spend a few days with us. There is a lot of work involved in making sure each one has something.
We are blessed to have a church in PA that for years has helped us with this by sending gifts for everyone. It is a huge ministry that has many helpers all along the way. The result is many happy faces like in the pictures you saw above. The gifts will get passed around, used and reused all year long. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard on this part of our celebrations this year!
Then came the special meal for the HOH kids and friends from our local community. Over 100 people ate all together at the HOH that day and it was a wonderful time of friendship and fellowship with our family and neighbors.
What makes Christmas such a celebrated time at the HOH is that we are so aware of the importance of Jesus in our lives. He is the one that gives each of us hope every day. Everyone one of our kids has come to us at a point when they have run out of their own hope. Here they have been able to find and get to know the true source of hope. So, it brings us such joy to celebrate this great gift of God to us -- Jesus - Emmanuel, God with us!
And now we are heading into the new year at neck breaking speed. Our university students have all headed back to their respective cities across Haiti. Some have actually started classes, some for the first time this academic year. Others are waiting but hoping classes start soon. The other students both elementary and High School levels are also back in class with numerous of them working hard to prepare for government level exams in the months ahead.
We look forward to the new year and what will happen in each of our lives and in our big family together. We are so thankful for your participation in the various ways that you help us out. Some of you give so faithfully and enable us to continue this work of bringing all forms of hope to the kids who come in our doors. If anyone wants more information about how to do that, follow this link to our donate page.
Some of you help by praying faithfully and keeping up with our regular prayer request on Facebook or email. If you haven't joined this group yet but would like to, find out how here.
Others help in a variety of ways like sending supplies, fundraising and offering their expertise in certain areas. We are so thankful for each way you our partners help us share the hope of Jesus to those in our corner of the world.
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