Special thanks to ACF Board Member Jessica Huettel for writing this Point of Hope update.
To cap off an unprecedented year, the children and staff at the Point of Hope in Romania celebrated Christmas in new and exciting ways. Even though some changes were required to ensure the safety of all during a worldwide pandemic made this year’s celebrations look a bit different, the true meaning of Christmas was still celebrated with great joy and anticipation. In preparation for the Christmas parties, students at the Point of Hope had the opportunity to put the cooking classroom to good use and learned how to make and decorate Christmas cakes. The staff was also hard at work putting up decorations, shopping for and wrapping gifts, and preparing Christmas grocery bags.
With your generous help, the staff was able to distribute these special Christmas grocery bags to every family who has a child attending the Point of Hope. Groceries might seem like a simple way to fulfil a need and they are, but they’re also so much more. Distribution of these Christmas grocery bags gives the staff the chance to continue to create positive relationships with the community, to check on how everyone is doing, to be able to pray for them, and to put emphasis on the reason why they are giving them groceries- the birth of our Savior and the Hope of mankind. It’s a community wide offering and celebration of God’s love, mercy and kindness.
In the days leading up to Christmas, the staff held 10 different Christmas parties over 3 days. One party for each class, where students were able to safely feast on their Christmas cakes, open their presents and continue to learn about how God sent Jesus to earth to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him. Students also received new boots and coats to help keep them warm and dry this winter. It is an honor to see the children’s joy-filled faces, as every item received is a reminder that they are loved and cared for by all of us, but especially by their Creator.
John 1:4-5 says, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” During a year that added challenges and some might say darkness to our world, thank you for being like Jesus in big and small ways to bring Light to the children, families and staff we serve in Romania. We are grateful that Jesus came and that He brought us life and light!
