On the Other Side of the Boxes

After the extensive Mexican holiday season, lives are SLOWLY getting back to normal. Things were pretty sluggish the first few weeks, but the momentum is picking up now in the third week after the holidays. It's almost like people just don't want to get back to the "grind" of life. I was more than ready--three weeks was plenty of down-time for me.

We had a fun experience on Sunday. Our dear friend, Blanca, leads the orphanage ministry at Casa Hogar each Wednesday morning. She and three other friends from various churches spend a few hours with the boys, teaching them about God. Blanca invited La Comunidad de Cristo to the Three Kings Fiesta that the team had planned for the orphans. What a party if was!! Two clowns (and one clown in training) spoke of the importance of listening to God's voice rather than the enemy's voice. Of course there were pinatas and food. The most wonderful part, for me, was the gifts.


While living in Canada, I can't count the number of shoe boxes our family filled with goodies to be sent to children in all parts of the world. It was always fun to wonder what a child in India or Africa would like to play with. After carefully choosing just the right toys and necessities, we often took our boxes to the front of the auditorium, prayed that the boxes would bless precious children's lives, then shipped them off, hardly to be thought of again. Well, I tell you, it was a humbling experience to see those boxes opened from this side of the shipment!! After a prayer of thanksgiving for every family that filled the boxes, the boys could hardly wait to break the tape and plunder through their goodies. Eyes were huge and smiles were wide. Squeals and giggles were rampant. If you filled a box this Christmas you blessed a child beyond your imagination!!! Thank you for spending a bit of money and time--Thank you for giving me the opportunity to witness the excitement. I encourage everyone reading this blog to make sure your church participates in programs like The Samaritans Purse and Operation Christmas Child next Christmas.

Logan also had a great time checking out the kids' boxes and explaining what some things were. It was pretty amazing to see a child put a little sponge in water and watch it grow!!! Good thing Logan was there to explain it to him. I don't think the little boy would have ever figured out what to do with that package of sponges!! Sunglasses were a big hit. One little boy got a whistle. I think he's still blowing it!! I got the biggest kick out of one little boy who was ecstatic over having his VERY OWN tube of toothpaste---TOOTHPASTE...Can you imagine our Canadian kids being ecstatic over toothpaste? How blessed we are!! I am thankful to have been part of the Samaritan's Purse boxes. Bless these programs with your participation in many Christmases to come!

My heart overflowed with gratitude as the clowns asked the children questions concerning various lessons from the Bible. One little boy in the back row seemed to know all the answers. Finally,with hands on his hips, the clown asked, "How is it that you know so much about the Bible?" The little boy replied, "Me regalaron mi propia Biblia!" It brought tears to my eyes to realize some of YOU who are the reason he knows so much about God. His answer was: "Some people gave me my very own Bible." Those were the Bibles that Moose Mountain Church and others gave us to distribute. We have given about 40 Easy to Read Spanish Bibles to the orphans. We just never know what will result from our giving hearts. Thank you for blessing this child's heart and life.

Until the next blog,

Alicia, for the Krogsgaards