Christmas season is here. Let us enjoy by spreading Joy!

The season of Christmas is here, and it is time for the yearly Christmas party for the school-children and for the homeless. On 18th December the school-children (sponsorship children) got to enjoy a special program made just for them, with Christmas-snacks, games & fun, a new set of clothes and the sharing of the message of Jesus. The homeless men of Nagpurs` street were invited for a Christmas party that was made specifically for them on 19th December. Arrangements were made for haircut, time with a barber that was hired in, a new set of clothes for each of them, and as for every real party a good meal was served. They were so happy and touched, and some even shed a tear or two. We are so lucky to be a part of their lives, both the school-children and the homeless people and others that are in need that we get a chance to bless, with food and/or clothes, education or with other necessities. It is a true honor to bring joy to their hearts and see smiles spread over their faces. Thanks to all of you who help us to help make this possible. Thanks to all of you who are sponsoring a child and you who support any project or who send a general support towards the work that we do through Spread International in Nagpur. Together we can help more children, more youth, more parents, more homeless people. It is a great joy to share the joy that Jesus have placed in our hearts. We live to love and to serve. 

    Christmas-party for the school-children.
The workers in Spread and other volunteers made the party for the children and youth. 

                               

                                           The School-children got new clothes for Christmas.

                                                                                                                                                                                            

                                      Stephan gave a money-gift to the sponsorship-children, 
                              that he wanted should be used to buy a pair of shoes to each of
                         the children and youth. There was without doubt, many small and big
                  children and youth that now got the chance to enjoy new shoes for Christmas!
                              Thank you, Stephan! What a great gift for the children and youth!

Also this year we got the chance to arrange for a Christmas-party for the homeless men of Nagpurs streets. The picture above was captured soon after the men had arrived at the party-location.

The picture below shows newly shaved, handsome men with new haircut and new set of clothes.

Christmas parties are also arranged in the various slum-areas where we work.

Christmas-parties in the slum-areas: It has shown to be a successful strategy to use the Christmas-programs as an introduction to Church and the work of the Church. The Church-planting-work in Spread has through these Christmas-programs led to the start-up of new house-churches in the various areas. Every year for Christmas the workers at Spread get the opportunity to reach out to more slum-areas and villages, and to Spread the Christmas-joy to those who live there. It is not a program were people come and get entertained by other people who come from outside the village or slum, but it is the people who live in the various areas who take part in making their own Christmas-program. The ladies arranges for "chai & snacks", the men arrange the speakers, microphones, lights etc and the children are in charge of making a play, dance and sing songs.  And then someone from Spread will share the Christmas-message of Jesus. The house-churches that are formed as a result of these Christmas-programs, meet regularly every week throughout the year. Then, at Christmas-season that coming year, the village and people who live in the slums are ready for a new Christmas-program. In these areas there will be people who will take charge of arranging still another Christmas-program another place, and that way it grows and expands, little by little. And after some time, after some years, accumulated, there will be a lot of programs in which people will be celebrating Jesus on Christmas, and forming house-churches in which Christ will be celebrated all year through. This is the 15th year we arrange these programs. 

 The Christmas-programs in the various slum-areas are happening throughout
the month of December. The picture above shows a Christmas-party in Petisur slum.

The children love to pose in front of the camera.

Christmas-party in Satrapur-slum.

Christmas-party in Hanuman Nagar slum.
Hanuman Nagar is a slum-area in which we recently made a start-up of supporting the children for school and education. A sponsor for the schoolchildren, who already support 5 children, have decided to support 10 more children from the slum, which gives them the opportunity to go to school. Which is amazing! We are so excited about more children getting the chance to go to school, and so forth get the chance to learn to read and write! It gives them a chance for making a future for themselves.
Thanks to all the sponsors and others who support the education-project!

Tuition in the slum.
The children are really passionate about learning, and especially when Roshan Sir (from Spread) teach.

The interest for learning is huge. Education is important, and we really believe in these children. They can make it! They are so clever and smart. They simply need a helping hand and some tuition to get there, to complete. Thanks to all of you who support the education-project, either as a sponsor through the sponsorship-program or who send a general support towards the work we do.
Thanks to you who support the children with tuition!

Gathered for the Christmas-party at a rented location.

We are enjoying this season, especially since we, together with you get the opportunity to spread the joy with the school-children, the homeless people and others too! Thank you so much for everything you do to help. Your helping hands are giving them a chance for a brighter future. Let us continue to stand together, and stretch out our hearts and hands towards the children in India, their parents, the homeless and others who needs help! What a joy it is to spread joy! Isn`t it strange in a way, that when we give joy, we gain more joy! Merry Christmas everyone, and wishing you a joyous and exciting New Year!