Letters to Santa

Dear Santa,

I want to know how someone could almost starve and abuse these kids to the point where they were planning on running away together.

They sometimes bicker when they want to play with the same item, they get jealous over whose turn it is to get cuddled, but after all they have been through in the past year, they have the most gorgeous spirits and wonderful smiles.

Today was a slow day for me. The walking stick I procured yesterday in Thamel helped with navigating the unpaved roads but my body decided enough was enough. I did get to spend most of the day at the 2nd home getting to know the kids better.

After tea and biscuits at 6 am I started hair braiding and brushing. The boys LOVE having hair oil put on their scalps and getting their hair brushed. I think a lot of it has to do with the personal physical contact as opposed to being ramro (handsome).

Most of the children at the original home had written letters with their Christmas wish list but for this home, it will be their first Christmas. After dinner, Vindo explained who Santa was and how they were to write their wish lists. They were asked to put 4 items that they wanted.




This leads me to introducing you to Purna. Purna is Jeny's brother. When told he could ask for anything he wanted, he asked Santa for a doctor for Bhumika so that she can walk properly. This brought tears to my eyes; Purna definitely embodies the Christmas spirit without knowing it. A doctor would be a blessing to the home. The children are now healthy and have a little bit of meat on their bones but there are just little ailments we wouldn't normally think about - warts, yellowed toe nails, frost bite, skin issues that they have Nepali words for that I cannot begin to describe.

Many of you have asked if you can send money for specific things when I get a list of what is needed and how much it costs. I think this Christmas, we can easily make it a very memorable one for the kids. They are not asking for anything fancy, just things our children in America and Australia take for granted and would never consider putting in a "Dear Santa" letter. Winter jackets, shoes, gloves, socks, bathrobe to keep warm after their cold showers, school bags, colour pencils, their own colouring book.

They have to share pretty much everything and we think it is very important that they have something they can call their own and establish a pride of ownership.

Tomorrow I am going to put 50 letters to Santa into a spreadsheet so that we can quantify what is really going to be needed. I ask that you think about what you might want do for these kids for Christmas.


Sending lots of Christmas spirit,
Fi