Christmas with our kids = a day filled with joy and hope!

 

Yesterday we celebrated Christmas with 275 children and 100+ staff who provide a loving home for those children. We believe that traditions are very important and not only help with identity and a sense of belonging, but also provide excitement and expectations for life events in the family.

On Christmas morning our children eat delicious fat cakes (big round dense donuts) rolled in sugar and cinnamon. Christmas day is typically scorching hot so the swimming pools are assembled and swimsuits are pulled out of the closet.  Lunch consists of pancakes, crispy bacon, syrup, fruit and a healthy dollop of whip cream. 

 

 

After lunch is cleaned up and sticky hands and faces are washed, we present each child with a wrapped gift and a very special chocolate wrapped in foil. The children all know that the gift contains a new pair of pajamas and they know that they get the same chocolate every year, and they are so excited about it. Every child sits quietly waiting for their name to be called and then they run up to the front of the room, put out both hands to receive the gift (very important in Swazi culture) and curtsy while saying thank you. Then they head out of the Oasis to sit at a picnic table and wait patiently for everyone to receive their gifts so that they can all open them together. Some years we give the chocolate at the same time as the gift (if we remember) and some years we don’t.  

 

 

As I was video-taping everyone opening their pajamas I felt a tug on my leg and looked down to see a very sad little boy with his bottom lip quivering. It was Willis (given my maiden name following my mom’s death). He was holding his pajamas, but with a very sad face asked if he was still going to get the chocolate. Willis is only five years old, but remembered the tradition (and probably heard the older kids talking about it) and so came forward to make his simple request. I assured him that everyone would be receiving a chocolate and he was relieved. I too was relieved that we hadn’t forgotten them in the walk-in fridge only to find them later. Ian told me that many of the children also asked him about the “expected” chocolate and so while we may have forgotten, they sure hadn’t. I realize there is a fine line between entitlement and tradition, but we really do want to have things that they can look forward to each year.

 

 

Like most mothers I always want Christmas day to be perfect, and that is hard at the best of times, but with 275 children with tradition expectations the pressure is amplified. But we have an incredible team of people who do the heavy lifting and help make Christmas perfect.  I would like to take a moment to thank our Sr. Supervisor for the toddler home and kitchens, Khosi Mamba, for her never-ending smile and willingness to listen, learn and lead. Khosi, you and the kitchen staff made Christmas day perfect for our children and staff. 

 

 

I would also like to thank our long-term volunteer, Bryan Throgmorton, who is the master planner and organizer for all of the 190+ children living at the Emseni campus. He not only creates a daily plan that includes chores, learning, play and activities, but he also makes sure that decorations are put up, and come down in a timely fashion, tables set and decorated and children ready to do whatever they are asked to do next. 

 

 

The only thing that Bryan wasn’t able to do this year to make Christmas 100% perfect was to bring Chloe home. Chloe, you were missed by us all, but no-one more than me. 

 

 

We were all so happy to have Spencer here and ZOOM allowed us to open gifts with Chloe in Canada and enjoy a family visit with the Maxwell clan in Canada, U.S and Scotland.

 

 

We know that this Christmas brought new types of stress to people all over the world, and that stress was wrapped with sadness and loneliness for many, but I hope that you were able to find a way to find joy on Christmas day, and I hope that this blog and our children will bring you hope for today and in the days and months ahead.

 

As we all look forward to 2020 coming to an end, I ask that you consider making your most generous year-end gift to Heart for Africa to enable us to continue to fight hunger, caring for orphans, alleviate poverty and provide education in Eswatini. 

 

To make a year end gift in Canada please click here.  

To make a year end donation in the U.S. please click here.

Live from Eswatini … enjoying a season filled with hope!

Janine