Wew! We made it! The past few days we have delivered Christmas to 250 young children who live on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona. We have gathered our simple, practical gifts(almost hate to call them gifts when they are SO not like the gifts expected by average American children!) for months, and I am grateful to clean the rooms out in my home where they have been storing! It couldn't happen without the wonderful support and contributions of many, many families! Thank you all for your loving support and generous donations! The smiles, hugs, and expressions of appreciation were abundant from the children who received!
This is our second year to participate in this activity. Last year Sherri W. was the lead for two of the three schools, and we were grateful to travel with her, and have her help and input as we gathered gifts and spearheaded Christmas for the children in the Hopi Day School. It was a life changing experience! This year Sherri's Mom has not been well, and in fact she passed away a few short weeks ago, and so Sherri's focus was directed to her care. We took on all three schools! We are grateful for the many who donated! Thank you! We took 20 people with us to deliver the gifts! It was definitely a Christmas to remember! It is amazing as we turn our attention to giving and serving others who live with so little how we appreciate the little things in life!
In order to go with us, L had to get special permission to take her college finals at other times. This required filing a petition with the English department head, requesting permission to reschedule her finals. I wept the morning I found this on the kitchen table after she had gone to school with a note asking me to please help her edit it. These are her unedited words:
To whom it may concern,
My name is L.H., and I am petitioning to take my English 2010, and Children’s Literature finals later in the week. I will be out of town on Monday and Tuesday, the days of these finals.
Not many hours from here, there are people who aren’t as fortunate as we are. The Hopi Indians still haul water up the mountain, and live without electricity. Many of these people live in huts, and the grandparents often take care of their grandchildren.
My family is taking Christmas to some of these people. We have been gathering supplies since before school started to deliver to three small schools of these children. In these schools, we will be giving Christmas to about 250 Preschool, and Kindergarten aged children. For these kids, it might be the only gifts they get this year. We have gathered many toys, and useful items to give to these children, including matchbox cars, hats, cake mixes with a wooden spoon for the girls, blankets, washcloths, notebooks, crayons and markers, and many more such things.
This is the second year we have delivered to the Hopi Indians, last year it was a wonderful experience, but my favorite part was delivering to the villages after the schools. In the schools, there were some children that weren’t grateful, and took advantage of us being there, it seemed they would follow up from school to school trying to get more. However in the villages, the little old grandmothers and some grandfathers would come out and not think of themselves, but of their children and grandchildren. They would ask for a blanket, socks and toys for the children, but it seemed that one of their favorite things was a Clementine. They would light up, when they saw them, and were so thankful. The look on their faces made it all worth it.
On December 12th-14th, we are delivering to these children and villagers again. I would really like to go with my family, but in order to go I need to get these finals moved. Please consider my petition.
Thank you,
L. H.
Who could decline such a petition? She got her finals moved, in fact as I post this morning, she is taking the last of her finals for this semester, the last for her Associate of Science Degree(a celebration day indeed)!
A picture is worth 1000 words, but we have some 400 pictures from our trip, here are a few to share a glimpse into our experience...
Christmas is quickly approaching! Lots to be done for our Christmas lists now! We have LOVED this project, but can't believe that in the mist of focusing on others, we are behind on other projects! Off to finish business Christmas cards, pack for the family party we're leaving for tonight, wrap gifts for the kids, and take inventory of where we are at! In the mean time, we're working on remodeling a building - oh ya... that too! Blessings are abundant! Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication! Thanks for the reminder! Pencil pots all over the kitchen table - getting there! Merry Christmas!
This is our second year to participate in this activity. Last year Sherri W. was the lead for two of the three schools, and we were grateful to travel with her, and have her help and input as we gathered gifts and spearheaded Christmas for the children in the Hopi Day School. It was a life changing experience! This year Sherri's Mom has not been well, and in fact she passed away a few short weeks ago, and so Sherri's focus was directed to her care. We took on all three schools! We are grateful for the many who donated! Thank you! We took 20 people with us to deliver the gifts! It was definitely a Christmas to remember! It is amazing as we turn our attention to giving and serving others who live with so little how we appreciate the little things in life!
In order to go with us, L had to get special permission to take her college finals at other times. This required filing a petition with the English department head, requesting permission to reschedule her finals. I wept the morning I found this on the kitchen table after she had gone to school with a note asking me to please help her edit it. These are her unedited words:
To whom it may concern,
My name is L.H., and I am petitioning to take my English 2010, and Children’s Literature finals later in the week. I will be out of town on Monday and Tuesday, the days of these finals.
Not many hours from here, there are people who aren’t as fortunate as we are. The Hopi Indians still haul water up the mountain, and live without electricity. Many of these people live in huts, and the grandparents often take care of their grandchildren.
My family is taking Christmas to some of these people. We have been gathering supplies since before school started to deliver to three small schools of these children. In these schools, we will be giving Christmas to about 250 Preschool, and Kindergarten aged children. For these kids, it might be the only gifts they get this year. We have gathered many toys, and useful items to give to these children, including matchbox cars, hats, cake mixes with a wooden spoon for the girls, blankets, washcloths, notebooks, crayons and markers, and many more such things.
This is the second year we have delivered to the Hopi Indians, last year it was a wonderful experience, but my favorite part was delivering to the villages after the schools. In the schools, there were some children that weren’t grateful, and took advantage of us being there, it seemed they would follow up from school to school trying to get more. However in the villages, the little old grandmothers and some grandfathers would come out and not think of themselves, but of their children and grandchildren. They would ask for a blanket, socks and toys for the children, but it seemed that one of their favorite things was a Clementine. They would light up, when they saw them, and were so thankful. The look on their faces made it all worth it.
On December 12th-14th, we are delivering to these children and villagers again. I would really like to go with my family, but in order to go I need to get these finals moved. Please consider my petition.
Thank you,
L. H.
Who could decline such a petition? She got her finals moved, in fact as I post this morning, she is taking the last of her finals for this semester, the last for her Associate of Science Degree(a celebration day indeed)!
A picture is worth 1000 words, but we have some 400 pictures from our trip, here are a few to share a glimpse into our experience...
Christmas is quickly approaching! Lots to be done for our Christmas lists now! We have LOVED this project, but can't believe that in the mist of focusing on others, we are behind on other projects! Off to finish business Christmas cards, pack for the family party we're leaving for tonight, wrap gifts for the kids, and take inventory of where we are at! In the mean time, we're working on remodeling a building - oh ya... that too! Blessings are abundant! Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication! Thanks for the reminder! Pencil pots all over the kitchen table - getting there! Merry Christmas!