On the 11th of December, we threw a Christmas party for the children of the Doornkop Needy Children's Centre at the Moroka Community Centre in Soweto.
It was another typical Johannesburg summer day, with the temperature well into the 30s. The smoking braais reminded one of a hundred summer celebrations, and the shrieks of delight emanating from the jumping castle brought back happy memories as we watched over the running, laughing little bodies.
For lunch, 120 children were served braai-cooked hamburgers. With a smile on their dials, and a belly full of burgers, the kids gave the jumping castle another almighty pounding.
In the early afternoon, the children curiously watched a man dressed in oriental clothing prepare a table full of boxes, cloth and rope. After sitting down the children were introduced to Professor Amigo! The magician vanished coins, broke free from chains, turned a giant bottle into a can of coke and abracadabra'd a container of burnt paper into a box full of sweets. The tricks got wilder and wilder as the children called for more, with rounds of applause and shouts of "Amigo, Amigo!"
After the magician had packed up shop and bid farewell, there came another cry of "Yo-ho-ho" from around the corner and in walked Father Christmas with a big bag of gifts. Santa gave the kids a little talk on the benefits of giving, and called them up one by one to receive a T-shirt and a big Christmas cracker.
After they had been dressed in their new clothes, it took some time before the first crackers were popped. The novelty was a new one for many of the children of Doornkop, but once they started popping, there was just no stopping.As the late afternoon clouds gathered over Soweto, we were given our own gift. The 120 children, aged 3 to 6, all gathered to sing for us a simple yet reflective song:
"Walk up the mountain, take your time, stop to look around."
The almost impromptu sing-along concert, with accompanied dance, was the precursor to an energetic thank you.
It was then time to go. We said goodbye, as the children boarded their busses to go back to the crèche. With their shoes and socks in hand, little bags on their backs, they all waved goodbye, except for some of the smaller ones who had already fallen asleep in the arms of a caregiver.
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South Africa The Good News adopted the Doornkop Needy Children's Centre in 2005. We have partnered with DigiPos and eg South Africa in a commitment to give 150 young and vulnerable children a start in life.
If you would like to assist us with sponsoring a child, please visit www.dncc.co.za. It costs just R600 a year to feed a child and R150 per month to feed, clothe and care for a child. Your assistance will make a real difference!
Happy Christmas!
