A Very Happy Birthday

Cohen playing with balloons

Last Week we celebrated the birthday of our Little Giants.

The Impact Team arrived bright and early to decorate the room with bright colors, balloons, and to post around the room the memory verses and class themes from the weeks prior.

The birthday celebration consists of review games.  In this way the children have fun without even realizing that they are reviewing the content of early classes and cementing those truths even more into their hearts. 

As the children enjoyed celebrating birthdays I was celebrating something even greater:  God's faithfulness and the generosity of so many.

Franklin ready to give a prize for good behaviour

First of all, the bags we hand out full of goodies are made posible by some very special people back in Virginia.  I think they will only know the impact of their kindness when they get to heaven because words themselves would never do justice.

the birthday bags full of goodies

All the goodies that go into the bags are also the result of the generosity of so many.  The shampoo, soap, toothpaste and toothbrush that we often take for granted are a rare treasure to these children. Just this morning one of our mothers thanked me profusely for the gift her daughter recieved saying it came at the perfect moment- a time when the family can't afford these "luxuries".  She tells me that her daughter was so excited upon opening her bag.  I asked her what the girl's favorite ítem was fully expecing it to be the toy--- she tells me that the girl was thrilled to recieve shampoo and asked to take a bath right away.  imagine. 

Franklin ready to play Happy Birthday

For the past several years we had a donor who provided cakes a goodies for every birthday celebration.  For this we were immensely grateful.  However, this year the donor could not continue. 

My heart was bursting with the generosity of my staff who decided to foot the bill themselves for the birthday party.  This spoke volumes to me about the kind of people we have on staff this year and I know that God Himself will reward them for their generosity.

Still, God had something else in mind.  Recently an aquaintence from the church we attend in Guatemala felt led to contact us.  She came to visit our ministry and felt compeled by the Lord to provide cakes for the birthday celebrations without even knowing our need for such a thing.

Families can't afford to celebrate birthdays.  A brithday cake is a rare treat indeed!!!!!
 

So as all around me the children laughed and shouted, celebrating one more year of life.  My heart was laughing and shouting, celebrating one more year of God's faithfulness. 

Thank you to everyone who has obeyed the voice of the Lord to give to the Little Giants on their birthdays!

The cake, the kids, and our new donor!