Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend the amount of joy that comes from children receiving one present. But the children that we serve were ecstatic! With multiple different Christmas parties taking place, serving the people here in the Dominican Republic was met with so much excitement! But how can this be?
The first party took place with our connected partners at the House of Hope. Driving there alone is always a little rigid. With no paved roads, rain that had happened earlier in the day and most of the week, it caused all kinds of blocked passages to get there due to flooding. There’s also the reality of unfinished roads. Custom has it sometimes, that in neighborhoods such as this, you’ll almost always be greeted with a hose or a bucket of water to clean off your shoes and feet. Mostly all the families have to walk there by foot, but they showed up, the Christmas program was not to be missed!
The second party was at our local church. With around 30-50 children that attend on any given Sunday, almost all of them sent by their parents/guardians, the amount of impact that can take place for the surrounding communities is clear. 50 children definitely showed up this day, almost all on time as well. They were ready to celebrate, spend time together and learn!
The third party was with one of the planted churches with LAFWA (meaning FAITH in Creole, the language for the people of Haiti). We came to deliver the presents for their children who attend their learning center, walking up to the church entrance you could hear the music playing and voices singing out. The director of the center, Madame Ferdinand, her fellow teachers and her daughters were leading the festivities. As each child received their one present, if you can imagine, the patience to wait and open it was a tough one. Of course there was that one child that pulled back just a little on the corner, you know how it goes, sometimes they just can’t resist. It was adorable!
So again, how can this excitement exist? When you know that life for the people here is far from easy, it’s simple- one present can mean the world! It’s exactly how God knows what His gift for us means when it comes to His son Jesus. Not only that it means the world to us all that accept this truth but that it always demonstrates how much He loves the world. It’s what we’ve been given and it’s what we will continue to reflect. His truth, His light, His will and His love!
Love brought down is what all the people continue to experience from all those that serve with us, with Him! Christmas is the Reason!
Vogsberger Family on Mission 