by Jean Ohlerking

Wish you could have been there…

So many wonderful people helped make it happen, these crazy parties. It took a lot of donations, a lot of work, and lot of heart, but it pleased a whole lot of kids. When I remember the CarePoint Christmas parties the following things are most outstanding in my mind:

• Laughter, laughter, laughter


• Jumping castles, and more laughter


• Games (pin the tail on the donkey and the king of all blindfolds); water balloon toss, dress-up race


• The acting out of the nativity (the sheep were dedicated actors, scrunched down on the ground in the forms of little sheep, baa-ing their lines perfectly; angel-actors with flapping wings and voices singing “Glory to God!” as they danced around the CarePoint “stage” area.


• The volunteer ladies, chopping onions, peeling carrots, and preparing other vegetables to be served along with the chicken which was frying in the big black pot (for some kids it was the first time they’d had meat of any sort)

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• The line of “bring-your-own bowls” snaking its way along the dirt ground


• Thumbprinting (for some dirty little fingers, we really didn’t need the inkpad!)

• Thumbprinting the twins Domine and Domine—both had the same name!


• Thumbprinting left-handed Jeffery…In a world where left-handedness is almost a sin (at least very, very rude) he was so pleased to be found special in a positive way-- I am a lefty too, so I hugged him, making mention that we belonged to the same “club” of left-handers and that we are really very special. It brought a huge grin to his dirty little face.


• Little gifts, sparkling eyes, knowing & feeling God’s love. (everyone got a gift, including the volunteer cooks).

When it all ended, there was not a person there who didn’t know why and Who we were celebrating. There was Christmas Love all over the place.

Christmas at the CarePoints. You should have been there. You made little hearts glad. Thank you.