We started sending monthly updates in late summer of 1995, so we know we have mentioned the following before, but we also feel we should never lose sight of what all of us are doing.
Christmas in Haiti is absolutely nothing as we know it in the United States. In the cities there are decorations. We know there are some people who have money, and their children are considered privileged. But in the villages, if you see any decoration they are in the form of brightly colored crepe paper or plastic flowers hanging in a church. An actual Christmas tree is unheard of; some think of them as no more than idols. So what you do takes on even more importance at this time of the year.
The money given for teacher salaries doesn’t just support a person. Odds are they have their own family, a set of parents and possibly a brother and sister living with them too. This year, because of your giving, each teacher will receive an extra $100 to help with Christmas, food, or whatever they want to use it for.
The feeding programs feeds more than just children; it also includes all the adults who gather the things needed to run the program, as well as those who act as “crowd control” and pass out food. They need to eat as well. This year, thanks to what you have provided, there will be extra meals at each place for Christmas for everyone.
This year, instead of sugar plums dancing in your heads, we hope the thoughts of what you have provided over the past year will be a blessing to you. For another year you have made a very big difference in the lives of so many.
Merry Christmas,
Steve and Terry
PS. In Terry’s last appointments most of her counts were okay. I say okay because they are just above the low normal. The concern now is the level of her immune globulin which is very low, Since this is the first line of defense against infection, doctors will more than likely start injections to raise that level.
