A Christmas Promise
Somehow, you can always tell when the patient has a hidden agenda. As I was preparing to leave the exam room, my patient asked if I would be interested in helping a worthy organization. Expecting to be hit up for a donation, I reached for my wallet.
"No, she said, I don't want your money...I need your help. I have an organization called A Christmas Promise. We provide gifts to children who would otherwise have an empty holiday. As a school assignment, children in the poorer areas write letters to Santa. The teachers, being aware of children in need, pull their letters and get addresses from the school records. The letters are then posted on the wall of our office, where generous people donate the appropriate gifts. We are a few Santas short...are you interested?" I did have a full white beard and was twenty pounds overweight, so I guess I was made for the job.
On Christmas Eve, my PA wife, Lindsey and I drove to the organization headquarters where I donned my Santa regalia and received my assignments. We were to deliver gifts to two needy families. Volunteers loaded our van with two bicycles and five huge bags worth of specially-wrapped gifts. There were two bags for each family, and in case we encounter some extra children at the homes, an "emergency" bag containing various wrapped packages with little "B's" and "G's" written on them to indicate boy or girl gifts.
After scaling a chain link fence (not easy in a Santa suit), we were greeted by a very surprised couple. Their small home was clean and very sparse, with a little decorated tree in the corner. But, where were the children? Before I could utter this question, three brown, naked children, dripping wet from the bathtub came screaming down the hall yelling, "Santa...Santa!" We distributed two bags of gifts and left for our next delivery.
Street lights being as rare as house numbers, our next address was challenging. Counting down the houses from the last readable house number, we knocked on the door. It was answered by a pleasant woman who informed us that our intended family lived next door. Disappointed that her children would not see Santa, she asked if we would return. She offered to leave some of her gifts on the porch to distribute. Remembering our unused emergency bag of gifts, we told her that Santa would take care of it.
The second house contained some scary-looking adults, drinking beer, smoking something obviously illegal, and playing cards in the kitchen. Lying quietly on a rumpled couch was an ill and feverish two year old child. I sat beside him, but he was too lethargic to even smile at Santa's surprise visit. I asked the adults to please take this little child to the emergency room now. Not wanted to disappoint Santa, they agreed.
We returned to the van, loaded up scores of wrapped gifts from the emergency bag, and returned to the neighbor's house as promised. The door was answered by a very wide-eyed seven year old little boy. "Santa Claus! Please come in", he said. I was ushered into a tidy little room where I was offered the best chair. My PA wife, dressed in elf-like red, helped me carry our overflowing bag of gifts.
"I have something for you, Santa". "What is it, I asked?" Without missing a beat, this little child, dressed in clean, but ragged pajamas, flawlessly recited the entire Night Before Christmas. Perhaps it was just the temperature change from outside, but I discovered that my glasses had completely fogged.
"Now, Santa has some gifts for you." I searched inside my bag for a gift with the "B" designation. I selected a large one and handed it to the boy. Asking permission first, he ripped off the paper, revealing a crochet set. Much to my surprise, he squealed with puzzled delight.
"Do you have a gift for my sister?" Again, I reached into my bag, this time looking for a "G". I pulled out another mystery gift and handed it to a shy three year old. This time, an appropriate little doll emerged from the wrapping and was promptly hugged. I was relieved.
Pointing toward the one-year old sitting on Mom's lap, "Do you have a gift for my baby sister?" Again searching the bag for another "G", I just knew that I would select some age-inappropriate gift for this little girl. Finding another, I handed it to the boy to give to her. He looked directly into my misty eyes and said, "She likes unicorns", as he waited in anticipation.
With God as my witness on this incredible night, that little girl opened this sealed, wrapped gift marked just with a little "G" and out popped a beautiful, white stuffed unicorn. I was absolutely stunned.....and puzzled by the magic of Christmas to this very day.
For me, there will never be a more special Christmas.
Related Topics: Kids at the Holidays, Holiday Parenting Tips, Kindness is Contagious
"No, she said, I don't want your money...I need your help. I have an organization called A Christmas Promise. We provide gifts to children who would otherwise have an empty holiday. As a school assignment, children in the poorer areas write letters to Santa. The teachers, being aware of children in need, pull their letters and get addresses from the school records. The letters are then posted on the wall of our office, where generous people donate the appropriate gifts. We are a few Santas short...are you interested?" I did have a full white beard and was twenty pounds overweight, so I guess I was made for the job.
On Christmas Eve, my PA wife, Lindsey and I drove to the organization headquarters where I donned my Santa regalia and received my assignments. We were to deliver gifts to two needy families. Volunteers loaded our van with two bicycles and five huge bags worth of specially-wrapped gifts. There were two bags for each family, and in case we encounter some extra children at the homes, an "emergency" bag containing various wrapped packages with little "B's" and "G's" written on them to indicate boy or girl gifts.
After scaling a chain link fence (not easy in a Santa suit), we were greeted by a very surprised couple. Their small home was clean and very sparse, with a little decorated tree in the corner. But, where were the children? Before I could utter this question, three brown, naked children, dripping wet from the bathtub came screaming down the hall yelling, "Santa...Santa!" We distributed two bags of gifts and left for our next delivery.
Street lights being as rare as house numbers, our next address was challenging. Counting down the houses from the last readable house number, we knocked on the door. It was answered by a pleasant woman who informed us that our intended family lived next door. Disappointed that her children would not see Santa, she asked if we would return. She offered to leave some of her gifts on the porch to distribute. Remembering our unused emergency bag of gifts, we told her that Santa would take care of it.
The second house contained some scary-looking adults, drinking beer, smoking something obviously illegal, and playing cards in the kitchen. Lying quietly on a rumpled couch was an ill and feverish two year old child. I sat beside him, but he was too lethargic to even smile at Santa's surprise visit. I asked the adults to please take this little child to the emergency room now. Not wanted to disappoint Santa, they agreed.
We returned to the van, loaded up scores of wrapped gifts from the emergency bag, and returned to the neighbor's house as promised. The door was answered by a very wide-eyed seven year old little boy. "Santa Claus! Please come in", he said. I was ushered into a tidy little room where I was offered the best chair. My PA wife, dressed in elf-like red, helped me carry our overflowing bag of gifts.
"I have something for you, Santa". "What is it, I asked?" Without missing a beat, this little child, dressed in clean, but ragged pajamas, flawlessly recited the entire Night Before Christmas. Perhaps it was just the temperature change from outside, but I discovered that my glasses had completely fogged.
"Now, Santa has some gifts for you." I searched inside my bag for a gift with the "B" designation. I selected a large one and handed it to the boy. Asking permission first, he ripped off the paper, revealing a crochet set. Much to my surprise, he squealed with puzzled delight.
"Do you have a gift for my sister?" Again, I reached into my bag, this time looking for a "G". I pulled out another mystery gift and handed it to a shy three year old. This time, an appropriate little doll emerged from the wrapping and was promptly hugged. I was relieved.
Pointing toward the one-year old sitting on Mom's lap, "Do you have a gift for my baby sister?" Again searching the bag for another "G", I just knew that I would select some age-inappropriate gift for this little girl. Finding another, I handed it to the boy to give to her. He looked directly into my misty eyes and said, "She likes unicorns", as he waited in anticipation.
With God as my witness on this incredible night, that little girl opened this sealed, wrapped gift marked just with a little "G" and out popped a beautiful, white stuffed unicorn. I was absolutely stunned.....and puzzled by the magic of Christmas to this very day.
For me, there will never be a more special Christmas.
Related Topics: Kids at the Holidays, Holiday Parenting Tips, Kindness is Contagious
2 Comments:
Great Story, Dr Moser! Happy Holidays!
I used to volunteer for Christmas Promise in Sacramento, and wanted to know if there are any affiate programs in the LA area? If so, please forward contact information to: soslindsey@yahoo.com. Thanks!!!!
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