Orphanage Christmas Party

THope (Teachers Helping Other People Everywhere) is a volunteer organisation based in Ulsan, South Korea.  Though our name states "teachers", we have volunteers who come from all walks of life.

Over the past few years, we have worked closely with the local orphanage, volunteering with the kids, getting to know them and coming to love every single one of them.

For many of them, the orphanage will be the only home they know, so we think that it should be made as much a home as possible. This is why we love to give the kids a little Christmas magic by throwing them a Christmas party, complete with candy canes, presents and a visit with Santa Claus.

In a country where the stigma surrounding adoption and having a "perfect" child means that a wonderful, 7-year-old girl was RETURNED to the orphanage after being adopted for a month (because the "parents" didn't want to deal with her asthma), giving these kids a reason to smile, and a moment where they feel loved is the best Christmas gift of all.

This year however, there is no money for a Christmas party...and we don't want to have to tell these wonderful kids, who smile even though life has dealt them an unfair hand, that there will be no visit with Santa this year.

If we can raise even 500 dollars, enough money to buy each kid a candy cane and rent a Santa costume, we can help give these amazing kids a wonderful, magical Christmas and let them know that they are loved - that there are people who care about all of their cat making sounds when they're feeling silly, warm hugs on a bad day, fake paper swords, and pictures of giants - even when they feel like there are no people who do.

If you can help even a little bit, we would be eternally grateful for the smile you'll help put on a kid's face at Christmas.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!