Let me tell you about the greatest gift I received this Christmas… It wasn't something I could unwrap or tuck away under the tree, but it’s something that I will forever hold in my heart, and definitely something I will never forget.
One of the sweet faces at the Christmas Party.
It all started with a text message - instead of gifting to each other this year, a couple of (wonderful) people wanted to send the money to us in Uganda to do something here. “What could you do with $150?” they asked?
The plan unfolded - between us, a small Ugandan Baptist Church and two other MAF staff and their families - everything fell very effortlessly into place. A Christmas party for a group of special needs kids. I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself! With Charlee in my life, this is where my heart is.
Sharing lunch outside.
In Uganda, having a disability is considered a curse on your family. Lots of children with physical or mental disabilities are literally thrown away or hidden from the public eye. The families who do choose to care for them have a VERY hard road with little to no support. In a life that is already hard, caring for these children is harder than I can even imagine. A Christmas party for these forgotten kids will be unbelievable! Most of these kids have never been to a party before, let alone one where they were the guests of honour.
The day was truly beautiful. When we arrived in the little room at the church all the parents and kids were already singing and dancing… pure joy on their faces. The caregivers went around the room and introduced themselves and their children through a translator; most of them referring to these kids as “their greatest blessing” or “my gift from God”. Something that was so amazing to hear in a culture that can view them as rejects.
We had a meal together; rice, beans, goat, potatoes, watermelon and pineapple. Some of the church staff even managed to find the biggest, most festive Christmas cake I have ever seen (which is a Christmas miracle in Kampala). Fred even helped serve the cake to all the kids. We brought a huge bag of balloons that Matt blew up and all of the kids had a blast chasing them around and watching them pop.
The money stretched even further than the buffet and cake. Every family received a bag of groceries stocked with soap, salt, sugar, milk, dried beans and peas, maize flour and other supplies to feed the family over the next week or more. The best part of it all, was that every child received a wrapped gift. Each package included a fancy drinking bottle, a stuffed toy and a pair of trousers for boys and fancy dresses for girls. If you could have seen the little girls twirling their dresses around, even if they were only “new-to-them”, it was something you would never forget.
Everyone pitched in with the cake cutting!
The kids receiving their gifts.
There was one girl who was carried in at the very end. She had missed all the food and festivities, and even all the presents had been given. Charlee didn’t hesitate - she took the last gift - her gift- over and gave it to the girl. I am so incredibly proud of the people my kids are becoming!
Charlee giving her gift away.
I don’t even have the right words to end this post, or to make you see it the way that I did. I hope the pictures tell more of the story than I can relay to you. I am sure that this is what Christmas is all about… bringing Jesus’ love to the least of these; the hungry, the weary, the forgotten and the beautiful. Merry Christmas to you all!
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithfulstewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
