Check out this email I received from one of our Zone Volunteers today. She loves to reach out to children in her neighborhood who are less advantaged (names are changed to protect the parties involved):
I love these types of efforts by our Zone family to make sure that the needs of children around us are being met. If you'd like to help this Zone Volunteer in making this the best "Christmas" ever for little "Zoe," please bring by some gifts or other resources to our Zone Desk this weekend.
Yesterday, when I picked up 9 year old "Zoe" from her foster home, we went to Super Franks. While we were there, she noticed the Christmas decorations (the ones that are wrapped gifts). She said, "Wow. they must have been good this year because they got lots of presents.
Then she said, "I thought I was good too, but Santa forgot me".
The conversation just got more depressing after that. The summary is...she got one pair of used (she doesn't know they were used) boots for Christmas from her foster mom, and nothing from her visit with her bio-mom.
For those of you who don't know, last Christmas was her very first Christmas with a tree and gifts. She grew up in a severely abusive situation and now attends a school for mentally disturbed children.
Next Thursday, when I pick her up, I'm going to have a little Christmas for her. She loves to read about Jesus, so we'll read the Christmas story. I have a little tree, and my daughter has lights we can use. We'll decorate the living room and bake Christmas cookies. (She loves to cook with me :)
I'm sending this email to see if any of you would like to get her a present. (No pressure at all...just inviting you to be a part if you wish).
She's not your typical ten year old, but she enjoys reading, and loves stuffed animals and dolls. When she grows up, she wants to be a writer and a designer, so she loves notebooks, pencils and pens, diaries, and art supplies. (not beads and other frilly things), but things she can write and draw with.
p.s. She's African American, and has said many times that if she had white skin, she could be pretty or be a princess. So if you do decide to get a doll, a beautiful black doll would be a blessing to her self worth.