It was a HUGE event! I believe a total of about 2,500-3,000 people were either attending or volunteering for the day. It is an annual event put on by Extreme Response, the organization through which I came to Ecuador. They actually have parties at various locations throughout Ecuador for the entire week, though I was only able to help the one day.
The event is a full morning of carnival-like activities including games (like throwing a beanbag through a hole, ladder ball, etc.), face and nail painting, crafts, photos with Santa, clowns etc. An evangelistic team also went around speaking to people individually. The entire event is free for all attendees, including a free lunch, Christmas gifts for the kids (stuffed animals), and a bag of staple foods (i.e. rice, flour, sugar, etc.) for each family. I led a team of people putting together all the lunch bags on the day of the event (thus my fashionable vest you'll see in some of the pictures :).
I was blessed to see such a mix of generations enjoying all the festivities. Even some of the elderly people wanted their chance to win a piece of candy by throwing the ball/beanbag through the hole! It was a joy to see everyone enjoying fun activities and being with their families, especially considering the extremely difficult and stressful lives that they lead on a daily basis. This party is likely one of the few times that they can partake in leisure activity. (See my thoughts from the initial time I visited the garbage dump here).
How are you using the gifts and blessings God has given you this year at Christmas? How will you choose to bless someone else?
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