We Did It !!

I haven't got all of the pictures together , but figured everyone has waited long enough to see how everything went this year . Everyone , We did it !!! We reached our goal and every child recieved a toy from Santa this year ! For awhile I got a little scared. Looking at all the kids

and the amount of toys , but somehow it all ended up perfect . We had just enough for

the kids in the square . We also had plenty for our visits to those who are homebound .

We bagged up and Santa handed out 780 toys !!

There was so much excitment in the square ! So many happy children , that might

not have got a toy for Christmas if it wasn't for this . Thank you so much everyone !

Thank you for money donated, for toys brought down , & thank you soo much for helping

with bagging toys and helping in the square . We could never do such a thing without

everyone working together . This is what Christmas is all about , it's about coming together , helping others, and it's about putting a smile on a little ones face . .. Bless you all !!

It's about that time for us to start our toy shopping . The paypal account will stay open, but
any donations made now will go for next years toy drive ..
Thank you everyone looking in on a special christmas site . Thank you everyone for your wonderful donations for toys . We have done soo well this year . I'm sure that we have reached our goal of every child recieving a toy from Santa. This will be such a Merry Christmas for the
kids here in Chelem, because of you .
Please come back after Christmas to see all the pictures of the kids with Santa and the toys .
We will be taking lots of pictures !!
Again if there is anyone who would like to help , we can always use help bagging toys
and keeping the children in line so Santa can hand out each toy without being mobbed .
Everyone have a very happy Christmas !!!

our goal ~ more smiles

In this little fishing village of 5,200 people , not counting the expats that come to live here, you immerse yourself in the warm kindness of the local people, as warm as the gently breeze rolling off of the Gulf . These people took to us like family , as we did them . They have givin us and taught us alot that we would never have learned in the states .

In this village there are alot of people who make their living from fishing . If they can't fish they might get lucky and get work doing construction for $15.00 per day or else
they may not eat , let alone buy any extras . We have seen the prices of toys here . Toys are more expensive here then they are in the states . No wonder you see kids playing in the dirt with a rope or stick . Parent's can not afford toys for their children. After seeing the need for toys, and since Rick was Santa for parties back in the states we decided to dig out the Santa
suit and start a toy drive . Last year with the help of some of the local people and expats we
collected over a thousand dollars in only 2 weeks . We handed out over 200 toys and bags of candy , and we still came up short . As hard as it was , we had to turn some of the kids away with out a toy . This year we want to change that . We want to start earlier and try even harder , and maybe every child in Chelem will walk away smiling and holding a brand new toy that was givin by Santa . That is our goal , and our dream !

I'm posting photo's from last Christmas so you can see the faces that you would be helping if you donate . Hopefully there will be no worried little faces , because every child will walk away with a toy and a smile . I will be sure to post how well we do this year with tons of photo's !
So please come back ... Thank you for taking the time to read my blog , and God bless
.... Star