“This is the best Christmas ever…yep, ever!”
“How did they know you wanted that?”
“This is the best Christmas! I finally get my first Christmas present!”
We had our “party” yesterday. The students all thought they were selected to take a test for the state. As they sat there with their pencils ready, the pizzas arrived. Then the chips. Then the cokes. Then the presents. I can’t remember ever seeing smiles as broad as these. Some kids tore into their gifts. Others wanted to keep them wrapped so they had something to open Christmas morning.
I cannot begin to explain exactly how it felt to witness such a display. We all dug deep into the wells of our souls, both to give and receive. I know for a fact that one girl had not ever received a gift before that moment. (She screamed when she heard she was getting a stocking filled with candy.) One boy ran around the room chomping pizza and telling us, “I don’t know how you made this happen, but thank you.” Another girl literally stopped breathing when she opened her gift and saw the one thing she’s wanted for years now. I’ll be giving her piano lessons one morning a week next semester.
My co-workers with children all said that this was more fulfilling than watching their own children open gifts. We watched and played and laughed. I cried. It was *that* overwhelming. It was so worth every dime spent, every minute lost to gift-wrapping, and every thought pored over possible gifts. Christmas to kids is an amazing experience. Christmas to these kids was bliss in its purest form. We all had to sit together and talk afterward just to debrief our emotions.
I feel so honored to have had the opportunity to be part of the magic for them. As I thought over the events (which still bring a genuine smile to my face), I am reminded again of God’s love for me. I hesitate to spiritualize every aspect of my life, but the whole experience of working in this tiny migrant town has revealed to me new dimensions of my Creator. I’m seeing Him at work in the pain and joy within my life, and this is bringing me a peace I’ve never known before. I’ve heard of this, but now I’ve seen it.
And this was SOOOOO much fun!
“How did they know you wanted that?”
“This is the best Christmas! I finally get my first Christmas present!”
We had our “party” yesterday. The students all thought they were selected to take a test for the state. As they sat there with their pencils ready, the pizzas arrived. Then the chips. Then the cokes. Then the presents. I can’t remember ever seeing smiles as broad as these. Some kids tore into their gifts. Others wanted to keep them wrapped so they had something to open Christmas morning.
I cannot begin to explain exactly how it felt to witness such a display. We all dug deep into the wells of our souls, both to give and receive. I know for a fact that one girl had not ever received a gift before that moment. (She screamed when she heard she was getting a stocking filled with candy.) One boy ran around the room chomping pizza and telling us, “I don’t know how you made this happen, but thank you.” Another girl literally stopped breathing when she opened her gift and saw the one thing she’s wanted for years now. I’ll be giving her piano lessons one morning a week next semester.
My co-workers with children all said that this was more fulfilling than watching their own children open gifts. We watched and played and laughed. I cried. It was *that* overwhelming. It was so worth every dime spent, every minute lost to gift-wrapping, and every thought pored over possible gifts. Christmas to kids is an amazing experience. Christmas to these kids was bliss in its purest form. We all had to sit together and talk afterward just to debrief our emotions.
I feel so honored to have had the opportunity to be part of the magic for them. As I thought over the events (which still bring a genuine smile to my face), I am reminded again of God’s love for me. I hesitate to spiritualize every aspect of my life, but the whole experience of working in this tiny migrant town has revealed to me new dimensions of my Creator. I’m seeing Him at work in the pain and joy within my life, and this is bringing me a peace I’ve never known before. I’ve heard of this, but now I’ve seen it.
And this was SOOOOO much fun!
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