Haiti (MNN) — Christmas is still five months away, but For
Haiti with Love is already preparing to spread Christmas cheer.
Their 23rd annual "Christmas in August" is fast approaching, and
Eva DeHart of For Haiti said the results of this program are even more
important this year in light of January's earthquake.
"Christmas in August" will be held August 9 at First
United Methodist in Dunedin, Florida. The event includes Christmas dinner,
Christmas music, door prizes, and silent and live auctions.
The gifts and funds raised there will then go toward a
Christmas party in December for Haitian children near Cap-Haitien, where For Haiti
serves. Gifts include soccer balls, matchbox cars, sunglasses, dominoes,
playing cards, jewelry and make-up.
"The more money and gifts we have to work with, the more people we include in the party. It just spreads the
Gospel that much farther," DeHart said.
FHWL shares the Gospel through some of the gifts the
children are given: "We even have coloring books that we hand out to the
children. They have Haitian Creole Christmas songs in the back and the
front; the coloring book section of the book is the Christmas story,"
DeHart said.
Though Cap-Haitien is some distance from Port-au-Prince, they
have still struggled as an influx of people poured into the city after the
earthquake. The refugees continue to come.
"Cap-Haitien and the North Coast [have] a whole lot
more people and are getting none of the benefits of the international
attention. So it's creating an additional burden on our clinic. There are more
people to feed; there will be more street kids that we can handle coming into the
Christmas party this year," DeHart said.
With a year full of devastation and uncertainty, these
kids will be even more grateful. "The earthquake and the damages and
the fear from it are always in the background now. So if you can give them a
day away from that, that's a good thing," she said.
Click here to make reservations for the dinner if you live
near Dunedin, Florida. Or you can visit For Haiti's Web site to donate money or
gifts.
