However as they lined up to receive the gifts it disheartened me to have to tell them to wait...several times. Upon seeing this, Chris grabbed a soccer ball from the table, and Matt a football to go play with the kids in the back. However, only about 10 boys followed behind, while the rest still stood there, eyes glistening with desire for the presents. I started to rack my brain, trying to figure out how to entertain the other kids, whose ages ranged from 4 to 14. Then it hit me, tag, of course! I mean what kid doesn't like tag? So after getting Kelsey and Laura on board to play we gathered the kids into the backyard, where only a few seemed happy to be there, the rest upset about losing their place in line.
So I picked the most energetic kid there to be "it", and when he started to run and scream, others joined in. Shortly after this it became a game of tag Chris, as he ran around the fenced enclosure too many times to count. I saw as the kids looked up at the Chris with an eagerness to cling onto him. When the game finally stopped, and all of the us and the kids were tired, we walked back to the party where many of the kids got their faces and arms painted. Of course, they had not forgotten about the presents, so a few of them started to line back up. When it was finally time to give out the presents, all of the kids raced to the tables where they waited to see which ball, book, or puzzle they would receive. The excitement and energy that filled the air once the gifts were passed out! The younger kids sat with their coloring books and began to color while the sound of basketballs and soccer balls being bounced echoed off of the building. The kid's faces filled me with happiness as I saw that we had made a difference in their lives.
-Caitlin Klotz
No comments:
Post a Comment