The Christmas Visitors from the South

Early Christmas morn our doorbell rings even though my boys are still in their pajamas they rush to the window and greet the visitors from the South, all 12 of them are strangers to us.  The children yell through the gate asking if we can give them their “navidad” (Christmas present).  Their ages range from 8 month to 14 years of age, and they all give me this hopeful smile.

A little background on our day up until when the doorbell rang: Presents were opened, Christmas breakfast has been served and we sit around and enjoy each others company as we try to assemble toys and play with the kids while carols play loudly in the background.

My cup runs over, truly I am blessed and these children behind our black metal gates are reminding me of this truth.

I am overcome with emotion and frozen not really knowing how to bless 10 little kids, so I think quick.  I run inside and announce “assembly line, we have lunches to make.”  Thank God we had just bought ham, bread and lots of snacks.  I go back outside and tell them to give us 5 minutes and we will give them lunch.  We do OPERATION BROWN BAG with our kids so they are very use to assembly line lunch making.  Usually, though we go out to the streets and find the children who are juggling for money or selling candy at stop lights or the park.

But not today, the Lord brought them to us, our very own front door to remind me that I have been given much.  My boys were hesitant at first in helping make lunches because that meant leaving their new toys for a few minutes.  I looked at them and said “today you have been given much now it’s time to give to others“.

Immediately, their attitudes changed and we got the lunches made.  The kids sat right outside our curb and immediately ate the lunches.  The kids and two mom’s were so sweet, they continuously said “Dios te pague” (God repay you) and wishing us a Merry Christmas.

it was such an honor to welcome these little visitors from the South.  Enjoy the holidays and may you also be blessed with the joy of giving.

Some background info: A lot of the low-income families live South and North of us and they take a bus early in the morning to come into the big city to sell their goods. Depending on the season it varies sometimes strawberries or avocados and candy.  Sometimes they travel for hours on a bus to come into town and try to make a buck or two.  Christmas weekend they go to the more developed neighborhoods asking for some kind of Christmas gift: toys, candy or money.