On Christmas Eve, we had the opportunity to go to a small church that was putting on a program for street kids and kids coming from abusive situations. Around 70 kids between the ages of 2-9 came. The church played little clips from Veggie Tales and they led some songs with motions. One of the songs had the words “the love of God never leaves you”.
The church then put on a skit that horrified my team. It was a 15 minute play about how Santa does not exist. I looked at my astounded team and thought, “What are they doing?! These are 4 year old kids! Santa should exist!” And then I realized why they were telling kids the truth. They have to put on this skit because Santa is not going to show up for these kids on Christmas morning. They want to convey the message that just because Santa does not come, it doesn’t mean that yet another person abandoned and forgot you. Because Santa does not exist.
These kids heard that Santa isn’t real, but God’s love is. They heard that even though their earthly parents failed them, they have a Father who loves them unconditionally. And that Christmas Eve, 70 little voices sang at the top of their lungs “God’s love never leaves me.”
