Our students (and their parents!) really amaze us sometimes! One of our high school students will not be waking up Christmas morning to join the family in opening stockings and presents, or partake in a huge, glorious Christmas dinner. Instead, he and his family will be in Roatan, Honduras, bringing joy to kids who are less fortunate than us.
We are thrilled to take part in this endeavor by sponsoring the project financially. We have also offered to take financial donations from the community to contribute to the gifts for the people of Honduras. Please read the story below, and kindly consider giving this Christmas by being a part of this amazing gift to children and families who have so little! (You can bring your cash and cheque donations to the Mind Over Learning center – #6-1925 Kirschner Road.)
Our family has the amazing opportunity and blessing to travel for the 2nd time to Honduras during the Christmas holiday season this year. This trip is to the island of Roatan, Honduras and is mainly for outreach to the island’s poor and needy through a Christmas food/toy/candy/sandals drive.
Bob and Debi Cowan are full time on the island and serve those in need. We will come along side them and help wherever needed. We are thankful for the provision from Soles4Souls of Kelowna who have sorted and provided us with boxes of brand new and used sandals to bring to the people of Roatan. Last year we brought down over 300 pairs of sandals. How exciting to be able to help in a practical way and provide shoes and other supplies to people who may not have any or are in need of a pair of sandals! We are also bringing small toys, candy, soccer jerseys to share with the kids at Christmas time.
Last year, the goal of the Christmas Food Drive was to give a week’s worth of groceries and supplies to as many of the poorest families as we could. Food bags and toys/candy were spread to over 500 families. The team drove nine trucks for 4 days to over 20 of the villages around the island. This is what the Cowan’s wrote about what is able to be shared at this time of year… “People who have so little are prone to despair, so the Christmas Food Drive is an avenue to bring them hope.” The Cowans also run a not-for-profit store called Made In Roatan, helping people of the island support themselves by teaching them to make jewelry and other items that are sold to tourists coming to the island on cruise ships. The money then goes directly back to those artists to support themselves and their families. The link to this shop is below. (they now have an on-line store too)
Last year, to be physically present and see the smiles of those receiving a new pair of sandals changed us forever, and for our 3 kids to experience all of it warmed this mother’s heart beyond words. One story is that of a little girl in a white and yellow dress (picture below). We had trouble finding a pair to fit her and then our youngest daughter, Naomi, tried a pair of white sandals on her for a perfect fit. The little girl was so thrilled, she immediately ran down an alleyway to show her friend…she was so proud of her new sandals. It was a beautiful picture and forever etched in our minds!
Thank you for considering supporting the needy in Roatan, Honduras. We have seen the joy and smiles that a small toy and candy can bring to the face of a child in Honduras and to provide food for their family does make a difference.
