“Christmas Smiles” 2017 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

“Christmas Smiles” 2017
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Christmas is a time for joy, family gathering, sharing the good news, and celebrations for families and children. It is also the time of year when we think most about goodwill and cherish peace and love within our community.

As we all prepare for Christmas this year let us take a moment and consider the situation in the Holy Land where hope for real peace continues to dwindle and the plight of the Living Stones (the people of Palestine) continue unabated. In Palestine, the unjust measures on the ground embodied by the Apartheid Wall, confiscation of land and illegal settlements limit our mobility, deny us access to our natural resources, and cripple our fragile economy. Many families are unable to meet the basic needs of their households and are faced with an uphill struggle to bring joy to their children.

This year, Bethlehem is preparing for another Christmas with the hope that this year’s celebrations will echo the message of the Angels to the Shepherds of “Peace On Earth.”

Worldwide, the Christmas spirit encourages us to put aside time and resources in order to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the love we have for each other. We make sure to take the time to meet family and friends and to share meals, laughter and prayers. We show our appreciation for one another with gifts and time well spent together.
We hope this year will be the year of Justice, after the year of Mercy celebrating the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, we are once again organizing a Christmas event to be enjoyed by all. We wish to bring back hope and joy to the community, to share the true meaning of Christmas, and to give without the thought of receiving.
Wi’am engages children and provides them with the opportunity to enjoy the event and share the message of Christ. The children are able to enjoy activities such as carol-singing, dancing, a visit from clowns, and a theater show, as well as receive a pleasant Christmas gift.
Wi’am encourages everyone this year to think of the weakest amongst us who do not have the means to celebrate this event as a family. We especially consider children and elderly as the focal point of our efforts, to make them feel the spirit of Christmas. To share the spirit of Christmas, Wi’am would like to inspire you to give love to those in need: visit nursing homes and orphanages, provide people with necessities such as blankets, heaters, financial assistance, or help in whatever way possible.
Your contribution helps us fulfill our mission, and would be greatly appreciated by the local families here in Bethlehem. No matter if it is a large or small gift, any gift given is great, as long as it is given with affection.

Objectives of the Christmas event:

– Provide underprivileged families, children and elderly among others with a Christmas celebration
– Provide a safe place for children to perform skills they learn at Wi’am, such as folk dancing, music, carols, theater, etc.
– Provide children with a constructive educational gift they can use in their daily life

Activities

– Invocation, prayers, greetings, and carol and hymn singing
– Tree lighting with Santa
– Musical performance/ opening ceremonies drum band
– Exhibition of children’s crafts and handwork from our Summer Camp
– Dabka
– Theater and clown performance
– Distribution of educational gifts

Beneficiaries

The Christmas activities will reach approximately around 200-250 underprivileged children and 100 elderly members.

Budget

Your generous contribution to this project will enable us to provide a day of entertainment and a solemn remembrance of the message of Christmas. Your donation may not only provide a child with joyful memories of Christmas but also help restore her or his lost hope.
– We estimate a meaningful gift can cost up to $25 per child and 50$ for an elderly.
– We also estimate that the activities and hall rental will cost $6,000-7,000, including logistics, personnel, theater shows, clowns, hospitality, renting of equipment, etc.
Any contribution you can make is greatly appreciated by the community.