Christmas 2021

Everyone has Christmas memories we treasure. You are part of our family, and though not physically here to celebrate Christmas, we want to share some treasured moments with you.

The Christmas celebration at the BOL Home started with an Agape meal (a meal shared in love) for the children at lunch. We cannot all fit in the dining room at once, but we wanted to reinforce a family atmosphere by being all together. So we divided the children into two groups, the younger in one group and the older in another. And instead of multiple tables in the dining room, we moved tables together to create one large table just as a regular family would have. P1-A2

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without sharing Christ, so in the afternoon, we all gathered together for a Christmas service. Just as families often do, our staff, on/off duty, attended the service to watch the children’s program.  

Our staff members Ina, Carmen, Cezar, and Andreea, worked diligently with the children for weeks to help them put the program together. It was an excellent program, filled with poems, songs, a play, and then sharing the importance of Christmas by one of our Founders, George Leid. A full hour of honoring our Lord with involvement by almost everyone and even the littlest ones sat still. P2-A2

We often tell our supporters how they make a difference in the lives of these children. But sometimes, it is harder for those in the day-to-day operations to see the good they do. The Christmas service was a good time for our team to see their work making a difference. So after the Christmas service, we gathered to honor the staff with an agape meal recognizing their hard work in 2021. P3-A2

That’s quite a day, but we haven’t gotten to the part that everyone looks forward to yet…presents.

After our agape meal with the staff, we gathered everyone for Shoebox time. The moment that children everywhere, even adults who are still children at heart, anticipate. Their hearts race, anxious to see what is in the box. It’s one of the best moments in every family, and the BOL family is no exception. I can’t begin to describe the emotion that filled the room or the noise. Happy noise, children all talking at once, beaming with joy, and sharing their excitement with everyone. P4-A2

You may not have been present physically, but your involvement made this a treasured moment in our hearts for 2021. Many years from now, we will look back on this treasured memory. God be with you, now and always.

BOL Team

Thank you for your interest in Bread of Life Ministries. We have been able to accomplish a lot with the help of our supporters around the world. There is still more for us to do. Please prayerfully consider how you might help support Bread of Life as we provide support to children and families in need.

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Other articles you may be interested in

Child with shoebox gift
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There is something special about watching a child open a Christmas gift.  I have had the privilege of watching children receive Christmas shoeboxes many times over the years, but the excitement never gets old. A carefully wrapped box lands in their hands, and suddenly the air fills with anticipation and curiosity. Then you see smiles that seem to grow bigger with every item they discover. For some of these children, receiving a gift is not something they expect. They didn't earn it. They didn't do anything to deserve it. Someone they may never meet chose to give because they wanted that child to experience the joy of Christmas. Perhaps that is one reason these moments touch me so deeply.
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