I have the most heart-warming story to share with you today! Â Back in April you’ll remember that Nick and I accompanied the Friendship Home kids to the Water Park (CLICK HERE to read that post). Â We had an AMAZING time and I posted all sorts of pictures of the kids screaming with delight.
Something really wonderful happened as a result of that post. Â Chris, one of my big-hearted blog readers, was so touched by the happiness on the kiddos faces that she asked if she could send money for me to purchase some additional things that would bring them joy. Â Of course I was MORE THAN HAPPY to facilitate this transaction! Â I got together with my fellow volunteers and came up with a list of things we knew the kids would enjoy. Â With her generous contribution we were able to get:
- A Twister Game
- 6 more jump ropes (they are VERY popular and hard to come by here, especially the double dutch kind)
- A jump rope rhyme book
- 4 playground balls (in USA colors, of course!)
- Bases for kickball
- A children’s DVD so we can have a movie popcorn party
You should have seen their faces as I pulled each item out of the bag… it was so much fun! Â The hands-down favorites were the balls and the Twister game. Â They’ve never had ‘soft’ playground balls that don’t hurt when they hit you. Â Let’s just say that there were a LOT of balls bouncing off of people. Â And Twister was mystifying at first because they’d never played it, but as soon as I showed them how they were pushing to get a turn on the mat. Â Here are a few of my favorite pictures of them enjoying the new toys…. and the rest can be found on SMUGMUG!
They look soooo happy! I cannot wait to get to Manila so that I can do things like this. Their joy is priceless.
I think I’m as joyful as they are at this moment – tears of happy roll down my cheeks. Thank you so much for helping me to pay it forward! Hugs, hugs, hugs, Chris
Chris- I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to give them this gift… what a beautiful thing you did! Get ready for more tears when you receive the bundle of thank you cards I’m sending off in the mail tomorrow – they are so precious! Love you and your big heart! :) Sarah
Christine- There are endless opportunities to make a difference and the joy/gratitude you get in return are just the cherry on top. I adore Filipinos… they are joyful even without Christmas in July!
Oh, this post brought tears to my eyes! Such moving story and pictures!
love it! i love seeing happy kiddos!!
i have to say … and hope I don’t offend … that I’ve never been so aware as after we moved to India … that opportunities like this abound in EACH and EVERY country … not just the ones that we might think are poor or in need …
Beautiful. Inspiring. Love it!!!
Agreed Naomi! I think the global financial crisis has made that even more apparent!