Christmas at For His Children

Here's a long overdue update about December/Christmas Celebrations here in Ecuador!!

Yes... we do have Christmas trees in Ecuador. Ours was a little more bush-like, but it was lovely. Here, the "shop owner" was giving our bush a trim so it had the appearance of a tree :)

It was a lovely little tree

We didn't realize that we bought lights that played music... and you couldn't turn the music off! Though it looks nice here, the sound was something else!  A few weeks into the season, a friend of ours figured out how to cut the wire for the music and leave the lights unharmed! We enjoyed the tree thoroughly after that. 

Elf Party! Watched the movie and made Christmas cookies with friends. Such fun.

Helped the Tias decorate the houses. This took place at night, so the next morning the kids were super excited to wake up and find everything decorated. 

The kids helped make the angels in one of the Bible classes I did with them. 

Lots of new babies came in the months of November/December! How precious is baby M?
There were lots and lots of parties and special presentations by volunteers and community groups throughout the month including... a ballet, gangam dance party, puppet shows etc. 

FHC Quito had our big Christmas party on the 20th. All the kiddos were dressed in their very best :)

One of my favs! She's grown, healed, and changed so much in the past year! 

Some of the kids dressed up for a special performance they had prepared. Couldn't get over the little guys and their beards! 

One of the Tias as Mary and our Security Guard as Joseph! (oh, and there really was one of our own babies in the blanket- as baby Jesus :)

The national police helped to sponsor the party. They brought their police dogs to do tricks for the kids. 

Three kings :)

Are they not the cutest!!!??

Lots of people came!!! All the staff, kids, plus lots of volunteers and some of the children's sponsors.

Also had a great party with the Tias and staff the same day as the kids' party. They were super nice to include me! Can you find me?? 

Also had a party at FHC Latacunga on the 22nd. Don't you love Santa!?

KFC is apparently a very special treat here! The kids loved it.

Thanks for all who prayed and gave! The kids were tremendously blessed and the joy in the air was tangible. 

I was consciously praying though, that next Christmas, each of these precious kids will be celebrating with their own forever families. Won't you pray with me?