Young Life Christmas Party - Part I

One out of every five babies in Costa Rica is born to a teenage mother.  The majority of these young moms live below the poverty line and have suffered emotional and physical abuse.  Eighty percent of the girls in the Young Lives program have suffered from sexual abuse - many times from family members.

While these staggering statistics seems like things are hopeless, they are not!  Young Life is a ministry that has chosen to step into the gap and reach out to these teenagers.  If they do not feel like going to church, then the church will go to them!  They are given a woman mentor who meets with them on a regular basis to encourage, exhort, and pray for them.  The culmination of this year's journey was a two-day camp last weekend.  To celebrate their progress and end the year on a high note, our church helped to host their annual Christmas party.  Openhouse helping out Young Lives was part of our Be Rich campaign.

People from our church signed up to help out in different ways:  set up the carnival-like event, take care of the babies, organize the games, serve lunch, make cupcakes (to celebrate Jesus' birthday), and clean up afterward.

Craft time (making picture frames)

Before the actual party, several of our small groups chose a night to go out and buy beauty products to make gift baskets for the girls.  Basic personal care items were bought and some of the girls had to be taught how to use shower gel or body lotion, for example.

Volunteers with some of the gift baskets.

The girls were so excited to ride on a chartered bus to the Christmas party.

Volunteers welcoming the moms and their kids to the party.

We took care of their little ones while they had fun jumping in the bouncy houses, getting temporary tattoes, eating cotton candy, playing games, and winning prizes.

Bouncy houses in the background and moms
standing in line to play one of the many games.

They were also served the traditional Christmas food of tamales, received their beauty gift baskets, and heard an inspirational message.  I like something that Enrique said: they were able to forget about their family and financial problems and just be teenagers for a few hours.

Enrique encouraging the volunteers at the end of the event.

One girl said that the Christmas party was the best one that she had ever attended.  Another one said that she hadn't had that much fun in years.
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The Bible says that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  I always thought that that verse meant that it is nicer to give than to receive.  Through projects like this one, it is easy to understand the meaning - when you give of your time and resources, you turn out being the one blessed.  Even though our church members went to give, they walked away feeling grateful and blessed for the opportunity to serve.

Openhouse volunteers

I pray that this project will be the beginning of an ongoing partnership with Young Lives for our church members and that these girls and their children will grow up learning about God and His desire for them to trust and obey.