LETTER WRITING

If you're writing a Christmas card to your child in Haiti, here are some things to remember:

• On December 22, Haitians go to the market for fresh cut trees and decorate them with bright ornaments. On December 23, children place their shoes filled with straw on the porch. On Christmas morning, they find the straw replaced with gifts.

• Christmas remains one of the most popular holidays. To make Christmas extra meaningful, each Compassion child development center gives children the opportunity to showcase their talents through poetry, drama or music. In a special ceremony held each year, parents, teachers and church leaders gather to witness children's talents and see how Compassion has influenced their lives. Concluding the ceremony is an awards presentation, where presents are given to children who have exhibited the best behavior, leadership skills and classroom discipline. Besides recognizing the abilities of students, the event also serves as an excellent outreach for sharing Christ's birth with parents who are nonbelievers.

Information Regarding Hobbies:

• It is not uncommon for young adults to play jacks and dolls with younger children in their family or neighborhood because the availability of other games is very limited. Sometimes the hobbies mentioned can seem inappropriate for the age of the children. For example, a 17-year-old may still have "Jacks" or "Hide-and-Seek" listed as a hobby. Often these children do not have any "adult" hobbies available to them, and these games still serve as a relaxing pastime.

Write your child a letter.

GIFT GIVING 

Child Gifts
Below are some examples of what a monetary gift can purchase for your child in Haiti:

$10 and under: chicken
$50 and under: goat, watch

Give your child a gift.

Family Gifts
Family gifts can be used to buy seeds for millet, rice, corn, beans, bananas, yams, etc., which can be planted for the harvest to be sold in the market.

Below are some examples of what a monetary gift can purchase for your child's family in Haiti:

$100 and under: pig (small), sheep (small)
$150 and under: bicycle (used), sheep (large)
$250 and under: bicycle (new), cow, pig (large), sewing machine (used)
$300 and under: food (corn, milk, oil, peas, rice, etc.)               

Give a family gift.

Learn more about your child's country.