Navidad en el Orfanato

Carrie had the wonderful idea of doing Christmas activities with the orphans. So Sunday afternoon some of us headed over to set up stations and do crafts with the kids. We made reindeer out of clothespins, "holiday" houses, red/white/green paper rings, snowflakes, and had some color sheets for them. There are 30 kids in the orphanage ranging from an infant to 17 years old. The older kids weren't there for some reason but we had a blast playing with the younger ones:

Anne making paper rings with Yaritza (her student)

Angela with one of the cutest little girls EVER

Peggy helping Maria with her house

Jackie with one of the girls

These three bring me so much joy...

Jose Alberto, Jose Maximino, and Maria Jose (Hondurans really like the name Jose)

Kandice with Clara (one of her students)

Dan brought his guitar along so we could sing some Christmas carols with the kids... 

Strummin' away

Lacey with Jose Alberto...he loved wearing those chains around his neck!

Some of the finished houses...

We used wafer cookies, icing, marshmallows, and peppermints.

Carrie had gone to the orphanage a few weeks prior to this event to take pictures of all the kids. Then she made these sweet little Christmas cards that had all of the pictures she'd taken inside...

Carrie getting ready to hand out the Christmas cards

Man, did those kids faces LIGHT up when they saw the pictures of themselves!! It was the highlight of the day for me...

Peggy getting excited with Yaritza about her pictures

Jose Alberto loving all the "shots" Carrie took of him!

I love this little girl!

After we cleaned everything up and sang a few Christmas carols it was time to pop in a Christmas movie and let the kids eat their houses:

YUM!

Chowing down and watching "A Madagascar Christmas"...Alberto is really into it!

All of us...

It was one of the happiest days I've had here and I'm looking forward to more like it!

4 days!

"I'm not such a great pep-talker, but I think it's important for the volunteers to remember what they are offering to the children involved with Olancho Aid. While at Santa Clara, often times I felt inadequate. I thought my teaching skills were not enough to inspire perfect little Honduran school-children. I wanted to quit because it was too hard and because I wasn't good enough at the job. But at some point I realized that just me being there was more than enough for those kids. The fact that the volunteers can offer their time, effort, example, and love, is enough. Their presence is enough. Them speaking English is enough. There is no way for them to be perfect, but the kiddies NEED them. And if it weren't for the volunteers, Olancho Aid would be nothing. Of course when the volunteers leave, OAF will move on, recruit others, and continue with its mission. But this school year can only be a success with the current volunteers continuing their service.

The time between now and Christmas break will fly ...  and of course after Christmas it will be a challenge to get back on that plane for round two. But, that is why they came to Juticalpa. They showed up in the first place to offer themselves in service to God and His people. It's supposed to be hard. It it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." - Jess Santavy