In the last week we have participated in 7 parties, made 600 cookies, and had tons of fun!!! We divided the kids up into different age groups so we could spend lots of time with each kid.
Our first party was at Voluntari with the preschool and elementary kids. We watched A Disney Christmas Carol (in Romanian) and te kids got to eat popcorn, cookies and hot cocoa. The kids are actually really great at sharing, and they always offer their treats to us!
We had 4 parties at Periș; littlest kids, little kids, middle schoolers and high schoolers. As a staff, we sang traditional Romanian Christmas carols to them. Then, we surprised them by doing a silly dance/rap to Jingle Bells at the end. They all cracked up, probably laughing at our dancing ;) We played lots of games with them too.
I find that God keeps surprising me with blessings daily. I love spending time with each of them and getting to know more of their personalities and hearts.
I spent some time decorating cookies with Nicu. He is pretty reserved and was putting the tiniest amount of frosting on his cookies. I told him he was allowed to put more frosting on if he wanted because it is really good! He tasted it, and started putting gobs of it on, his smile growing bigger as he did! It always surprises me and makes me a little sad when I have to remind a kid that its ok to be a kid! These kids don't get to experience the typical joys of childhood, so it is a blessing to watch when they get a little taste of that joy! At the end of the party, he took a CUP of frosting home with him!
Our first party was at Voluntari with the preschool and elementary kids. We watched A Disney Christmas Carol (in Romanian) and te kids got to eat popcorn, cookies and hot cocoa. The kids are actually really great at sharing, and they always offer their treats to us!
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| steven with one of the cuties! |
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| showing her cookies and cocoa |
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| my lil guy <3 |
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| sugar-high! |
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| steven's bff |
We had 4 parties at Periș; littlest kids, little kids, middle schoolers and high schoolers. As a staff, we sang traditional Romanian Christmas carols to them. Then, we surprised them by doing a silly dance/rap to Jingle Bells at the end. They all cracked up, probably laughing at our dancing ;) We played lots of games with them too.
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| waiting for the party to start! |
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| a hula hoop game that the kids loved! |
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| each kid got to decorate some sugar cookies- they LOVED the frosting! |
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| had to eat a piece of bread covered in honey without using hands- very messy! |
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| this game was so fun! |
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| pass the parcel- we had to try to open a snickers bar that was wrapped 20 times with mittens on! |
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| more cookies! |
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| human snowman! |
I find that God keeps surprising me with blessings daily. I love spending time with each of them and getting to know more of their personalities and hearts.
I spent some time decorating cookies with Nicu. He is pretty reserved and was putting the tiniest amount of frosting on his cookies. I told him he was allowed to put more frosting on if he wanted because it is really good! He tasted it, and started putting gobs of it on, his smile growing bigger as he did! It always surprises me and makes me a little sad when I have to remind a kid that its ok to be a kid! These kids don't get to experience the typical joys of childhood, so it is a blessing to watch when they get a little taste of that joy! At the end of the party, he took a CUP of frosting home with him!
Another blessing I experienced was witnessing kindness and selflessness. Berki is such a nice boy! At his own party, he was intent on helping and sharing. He stood by Steven as he played guitar and held his music sheets during the whole performance. He shared his cookies to make sure that we got some. And when I was waiting at the end of the line to get some tea, and he was in the front, he filled his cup, gave it to me, and then took my place in the back of the line.
When he, or any of the kids, show so much kindness, my first reaction is to say "no, you keep it." But he simply wants to serve and show love in any way he can. And when I accept it, I get to see God shine through him. What a beautiful world we live in, and what a blessed girl I am.
{haley}
