Did Someone Say, "Christmas Party?"

Manna 4 Lempira Christmas parties are almost as old as Manna itself. The first Manna Christmas party took place in Mercedes five years ago. Kim Hall wasn’t able to attend the first year or so because she was still living in Atlanta. The Halls are making up for lost time and their Christmas social calendar is more hectic than ever.

“Party Season” began last weekend with six parties in Tablon. Yes, you read that correctly. There were six separate parties to accommodate the children of the Tablon sponsorship center. Kim said it was exciting to see the kids, most of whom she hadn’t seen since March. Many of the kids came masked up, in true 2020 fashion. Some of the parents still don’t feel comfortable with group meetings, so not every child was in attendance. Still, it was an opportunity to get caught up with children, whether in person or through word of mouth.

Thanks in no small part to Pinterest, party hosts in the U.S. tend to spend a lot of time coming up with themes and elaborate menus. Being the perfect host or hostess in Honduras is a little simpler than that. This year, the theme for the Manna 4 Lempira parties is “Christmas party,” and the elaborate menu is cake and candy. This year’s parties don’t include presents, but they do include a lot of happiness.

The parties also consist of singing, hugs, and a lesson. This year, Kim’s Spanish has improved to the point that she is able to give the lesson! She is sharing the modern parable, The Three Trees, and is able to remind the kids that they each have a purpose and that God has a plan for their lives. Kim can remind the kids, “Nothing can eliminate God’s purposes in our lives, even when it looks different than we imagined.”

There are eight more parties on the calendar. There will be two parties in Quelecasque, five in Mercedes, and one in San Juan. You may remember that this time last year a child in the program was in a tragic accident and died a few days after attending a Christmas party. This year brings another accident and the death of a youth in Betania. Julio was very special to the Halls and to his community. Julio’s younger brothers are expected to be at an upcoming party. As difficult as this time is, Kim expressed that it is a blessing to be there for them.

Kim closed our call by saying, “We’re not giving out big gifts. Sometimes we don’t think that getting a slice of cake is a big deal. But when we look into the eyes of the kids and their parents, we see how much it means to them. For us, since it’s not cold in Honduras, this is how we know it’s winter and it marks the season.”

What better way to mark a season than by sharing the love of God to these kids through hugs, a lesson, songs, and cake?

- posted by Christi.