Christmas Spirit

This time of the year is a particularly dangerous one for street kids and the victims of abuse.  It is one when tempations to take drugs are even higher, and there are more opportunities for robbery, or more money to be made through prostitution.    This side is far removed from the traditional Christmas image, but at the same time, working directly with kids such as these at this time of year is exactly how I want to be spending my Christmas.

  At Casa Alianza a lot of our kids have left for the Christmas period.  Those who have families or homes have gone back there. There are, however, about 30 or so kids in our residential center who have no families or homes to go to, or it is not safe them to leave Casa Alianza (Izmael is one of these kids who simply has nowhere to go to that would be safe for him)

So I will be spending Christmas with these kids.  If I'm honest, I'm doing it more for me then anything else, as the courage these kids show inspires me.  At the same time these kids have spent their Christmases of years gone by on rubbish dumps, gutters or brothels.  I hope that this year we can bring them a Christmas that gives them the minimum of  what every child deserves: love, respect and understanding.

So I wanted to share this story mainly  because these kids lack a lot of things, but through nearly all their lives they have been without these three values of love, respect and understanding.  It is not possible for us all to donate physical stuff such as money to make a difference, nor is it possible for us all to give up our time and lives to do voluntary work, but it is always possible for us to provide love, respect and understanding for those who need it, be it in one's own home, community, country or wherever.

I will leave it there, but in case I don't write again before the 25th, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year, and for those who read this blog and write to me about it, I really do appreciate your support!

With love,

Simon