The joy of Christmas

Growing up, Christmas was a season for which my siblings and I yearned. The excitement of donning new clothes and shoes locked away in our mum’s trunk kept us counting the days from July when she normally would purchase them.

I personally longed for the opportunity to enjoy rice and huge portions of meat

complemented by my chilled Fanta. We capped it off with the distribution of food to several neighbors, most of whom could not afford such meals.

The excitement of those days is still fresh on my mind. By the age of 10 years, I loved the idea of distributing food because of the tips that came with it. I remember fondly the struggle with my siblings to visit neighbors known for their generous tips.

By my 20s and into my late 30s, I began to question the wisdom of my parents’ continued commitment to the idea of sharing at Christmas. My siblings and I would argue, “Why spend so much money to provide meals for so many people when you are no longer actively working? Why don’t we just restrict the Christmas meals to the family to save cost?”

But the Old man and Old lady remained adamant. They would break their backs to ensure that the yearly activity of sharing took place. For most children and the aged in the neighborhood, this activity guaranteed them a decent meal during the season.

I remember how we would send our parents stipends for the season and make an effort at convincing them not to use it for food sharing. They would give their word to reduce the number of their targeted neighbors but each year the number seemed to go up as more and more people heard of their benevolence. Back

then, I did not understand their resistance to change.

Today, after 4 years of launching the Service To The Needy Project, I have come to appreciate the joy of sharing at Christmas. Financing this Project solely from personal funds and the benevolence of a few friends and my church through in-kind gifts has been very challenging.

However, each year I find myself looking forward to the season and the day to share what little I have with the vulnerable even as the number of beneficiaries continues to increase with each passing year.



This year, considering the economic challenges, the project is faced with a very tight budget, yet several more vulnerable people look up to us. We are trusting God to reach out and provide for all those who put their trust in us. We invite you to participate in cash or kind towards making the upcoming Christmas a memorable one for those who ordinarily would not have experienced it this year.

If you wish to see or support our work, please visit www.winniwellbn.com