Szlachetna Paczka

This means honorable present in polish.  In Poland right now families all over the country are being helped  for Christmas. A family is "nominated" and then a volunteer goes to the family to see what they need. Then it is put online and a donor picks a family who they can help. A group of us had the opportunity to help a family who my director met with.  This family is so sweet. To start the parents only wanted a microwave. The parents wanted to ask for nothing for themselves. They only wanted their kids taken care of.

On Thursday the girls got together to wrap the gifts. It was so much fun putting things together. It was great fellowship. Today my director picked up the packages from my house and said I could go meet the family and help deliver the presents.  The youngest of the three kids is only 3 years old and she has a brain tumor that is inoperable.  They were able to operate and get a portion of the tumor but the rest won't be able to be removed and it's a type of tumor that spreads.  As in America the family has made many friends with others at the hospital who are going through the same situations.  My heart just breaks as they support each other knowing that one day possibly soon it could be their child.  I have seen people in America do this and I was able to see tonight that it is the same here too. The little girl goes for Chemo every couple of weeks to help fight the the spreading of tumors. Unfortunately she has had a fever for two weeks and so they can't administer the chemo right now.  They were hoping to have her home for Christmas but because of the infection right now they are afraid it won't happen. The mother has had to quit her job and she takes care of her daughter and cooks meals ahead of time so the dad can feed them when she has to go to the hospital.  The parents take turns going to the hospital.  It's amazing how people adjust when it is needed and do what is needed.  I have so much respect for them.

When we arrived tonight...actually this afternoon but it was already dark so it felt like night. The kids were excited to open their gifts and start playing. The little boy was so funny he told his dad he might let him play with his stuff too. :) The middle child took her time opening each gift saving the biggest for last. She opened her BIG bag that had a doll and bed in it and she started taking care of the baby quickly. I showed her that the doll speaks polish and so she pushed the button to hear all the sayings.  Then she had fun with the big bag that she fit into that had princesses on the front.

As thank you the two older children made us pictures. They drew pictures of a christmas tree with presents underneath it even though they don't have one this year.  Each picture had an angel on it.  To me that was just something sweet but then when I got into the car with my director I learned something new.  Angels are very important around here and this time of year kids would draw an angel of joy or something else.  But these two kids under 10 years old each drew the angel of health.  For kids who know sickness and deal with every day they hope and wish for health and anything else is greatly appreciated.

As we drove home I was speechless. I don't/didn't have the words to express how I feel. My director who has a 3 year daughter and my nieces who are all around this age, we were so touched at the reality that this family has to live with every day.  As I love on my nieces and love my directors daughter I will be thinking of this family this year and praying for them. This Christmas I want to remember them and all the families who will need to be in the hospital doing what they need to for their families and getting to spend whatever time they have, with each other.