The Christmas gifts were in two parts. The first part was the one directly donated by us, and the second part had to do with Christmas presents given to certain children by their sponsors in Europe and America.

Concerning the gifts directly from us, the organization bought parboiled rice and distributed it among the students and staff of the school. It was the foundation’s way of bringing smiles on the faces of those who received it. The students shouted, danced here and there and sat on the bags of rice. One of the kids sitting on the rice remarked, "It’s our rice. We’ll eat it big time."

"Our Christmas food has come! Our Christmas food has come!" shouted some of the elated kids upon seeing the rice arrive on the school campus. They were boisterous.

The staff members, including the Principal, helped to organize the students and the distribution process, making it easier for everyone, including the staff, to get a share of the Christmas gifts. Some parents, as well as some residents of the community, came around to watch the distribution.

One of the parents observing the distribution averred, "This school always does well for the children and us every Christmas season."

Regarding the special Christmas presents for a few of the sponsored children, some of the sponsors sent Christmas gift money to the foundation for the children they support in the school. The children were taken to the market and shopped for, choosing what they wanted or needed, based on the amounts sent for them. Shoes were bought for some, while shoes and rice were bought for others. At times clothes are bought for the kids.

Our foundation is planning to make the 2011 Christmas season more wonderful for the kids, their parents and the staff than it was in 2010. We hope our donors and sponsors will help us make next year’s Christmas time grander for the kids.

We wish to take this time to express profound gratitude to you, the sponsors who sent special 2010 Christmas presents for the children you sponsor. May you continue to bring smiles to the faces of these kids every Christmas.

Finally, we extend Season’s Greetings to everyone – sponsors, students, school staff, kids, foundation’s volunteers and so forth – for a successful 2010. As we enter 2011, it is our hope that we all will continue to work together in giving hope to the hopeless, opportunities to the underprivileged and something to the have-nots.

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This article was written by Paul who posted it to the HLF website.

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