It's birthday time! We had 2 birthday parties in 2 weeks for about 18 girls who had birthday's recently. These birthday parties mean so much to the girls. They love to look at the birthday list on my while, and find their names, and see who has a birthday in their month so they know who they will be having a party with. A day to make them feel special and loved. A day to celebrate their life!
The balloons are hung, the gift bags arranged, everything is set...:
A decorated cake is a must-have to make a birthday special:-)...:
We have a theme for the birthday parties for a whole year, so each girl gets to experience it. Our current theme is princesses and butterflies. At each party the girls come, and open presents (just a few little things: chapstick, a sticker sheet, a bracelet, and some candy) and "ooh" and "ah" over each others gifts. Next we play a game, do a craft, sing happy birthday and pass around the birthday bear that sings happy birthday and lights up. We finish up with cake and juice, and the girls go away feeling on top of the world. Such a simple afternoon that creates memories they will never forget!
The game we are playing this year is lots of fun. The girls find partners, one of them is blind folded and has to dress up their partner. The first to get all the dress up items on their partner is the winner!
In photo below:
Tania (left) and Serjia (right), twin sisters, age 10.
... Speaking of birthdays... Tonight all the ladies made a very special surprise birthday celebration for me! It started with dinner with 3 other missionaries. That part I knew about. It was so nice to look forward to that all day. After our dinner, they said I would have to find the cake and cut it while blindfolded. They then blind folded me and led me away, and gave me 23 turns - I was quite dizzy...- and we somehow ended up at another missionaries house where they shouted surprise and took off the blind fold. Most of the ladies were there, and they had it all decorated just for me! I am just so blessed by all the work they put into this night for me. We had such a fun evening, watching Anne of Green Gables on the projector, dressed up with fun pastel colored "Easter hats", and they had a wedding dress for me to wear for the evening:-) We had cake and desserts, and decorations my mom sent me. It was the most fun birthday! I had never had a surprise party before, and this was certainly a surprise! Tomorrow, for my real 23rd birthday, we are going out for lunch at a lovely little green house cafe. In the evening the girls are making rice and beans for me, my favorite Mozambican food:-) I am blessed indeed...
3 comments:
Hi
I just love what you are doing. It is great to have tru Christ ambassadors. I loved reading this. It was my son's birthday on the 19th. Hope you enjoyed yours.
We are also joining you guys in Moz from SA in May. I will try to see where I can extend my hand too.
God Bless you all guys.
Mbini
What a creative idea to do the same theme for the whole year! Very good idea. I'm sure it helps with arguments.
Happy Birthday! How old were you when you first started out in Africa?
Reading your post about the simple celebration that the girls' have for their birthday sure made me think. We struggle to buy our kids the latest toys and clothes and these girls are excited about a few stickers and some candy... I may need to rethink the expectations I've already begun instilling in Elon. He already knows what presents are and screams for toys at the store. I want him to have a grateful spirit even over the *small* gifts without the huge expectations we see in some children.
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