Early on Restoring Hope's ministry in South Asai—when we had around 100 little kids, ages five to twelve years old, we reached out to our partners to ask if they could help fund projects like painting our church buildings, or providing school uniforms and Christmas gifts for the children.

This began a tradition of giving new clothes to the children of Restoring Hope at Christmastime. New shirts, pants, or dresses for young orphaned and vulnerable children is so important to foster a sense of dignity and personal worth.

Back then we had dreams of sending these children to college one day. Fast forward twelve years, and now all the children are living and thriving with biological family caregivers, and half of them are on the brink of that very dream—attending college and likely becoming the last person in their family to ever experience poverty.

Today, one of the most significant times of year for the children and families of Restoring Hope is during Christmas when their local churches gather to celebrate together.

In order to rotate hosting venues, a few churches come together as a "cluster" to hold our Christmas Celebrations. This also fosters relationships, as children and families reunite with friends from other churches they don't see day-today. They get to eat great food, sing and dance, pray, and experience what it means to celebrates this important holiday. And it draws new participants into the local congregations!

Every year when the holiday season is upon us, the 800+ children and families in Restoring Hope's network of care look forward to these Christmas Celebration gatherings—just as much, or even more than, we do here in the West. Attendees hear about the angels and shepherds, Mary’s faithful response, the birth of the Savior, and peace on Earth.

Thank you for helping make these gatherings possible through your prayers and financial support. You are helping make it possible for hundreds of orphaned and vulnerable children, their extended families, and local village members to hear the message of Christmas.