Let me tell you a story, a story of princes and princesses. A night of princes being knighted and princesses being adorned with jewels. Let me tell you a Thanksgiving story. A night of miracles. A night of healing. A night of joy that knows no bounds.
Last Wednesday night, 32 members of our squad, were able to celebrate a Thanksgiving Carnival Extravaganza with over 100 street kids and their families. We had games: Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Toilet Paper Toss, Go Fish (with magnetic fishing polls), and a Can Toss. Prizes were stickers of Angry Bird, Disney Princesses, Winnie-the-Pooh, and Superhero figures. We had a station where the girls’ nails were painted and they were crowned with tiaras, while the boys were outfitted in aluminum Battle Armor of God and given balloon “Sword of the Spirit”. Children were lined up in excitement to have their teeth brushed, receiving for some of them their very first toothbrush. My squad mates sat with children and bathed their arms, their hands, their legs, their feet. My heart was overwhelmed as they lifted their hands to their noses and breathed deeply, grinning ear to ear, as if it were the smell of candy. I witnessed courageous children have their own wounds treated, their own wounds wrapped and then encourage their friend, their sibling, as they took a timid step forward to have their wounds treated. The coloring table was never left empty, as drawings filled the room, drawings completed by not only the children, but by mothers, by fathers. Tummies were filled with spaghetti and chicken and kids began to curl up in the arms of my squad mates, as the movie began to reel.
I saw a mother sit for over an hour coloring. I saw a prostitute crowned with a tiara and it never left her head. I saw a boy win multiple games and each time he won a sticker, he adorned his sister with one, as her face lit up. I met a girl who delivered food to 4 individuals before sitting down and taking her own meal, even though she hadn’t eaten since the day before. I have snapshots of this night, that know no end. Snapshots that I could not even begin to put a number on.
It was a time where individuals didn’t have to think where their next meal would come from. It was a time where kids got to just be kids. It was a time where laughter abounded and squeals of joy filled the room. It was a time where children experienced their first magic show. It was a time where the story of Jesus was told in Tagalog. It was a time where the hearts of my squad mates hearts were broken as they brought joy. I
One girl had a vision. One girl prayed. One girl asked, for $100 in donations. One girl received, close to $500. One girl, named Melissa Diehl, recruited each of us, to a specific cause. Great effort was put forth, a whole lot of prayer and an amazing night was experienced. Just check out her incredible video. Light in the darkness!
