Friends and sponsors of One Vision! I’m so glad you’ve found your way to our Haiti “home” on the internet. As you may have heard in the logo reveal video, we’ve launched this blog for One Vision where you can find monthly updates from our Haiti family. With a mix of light-hearted, personal, and educational posts, our hope is to help start conversations about orphan care (specifically our One Vision kids); bring awareness to where there is a need and how you can help; prompt you and your families for specific ways to join us in prayer; and add a greater understanding of life in Haiti and at the orphanage.
The reality is that large group trips to Haiti have been few to none these days. Not being able to see and spend time with our kids can naturally make us feel a bit disconnected from their lives. What better way to actively fight this disconnection than by staying up to date with our One Vision kids, finding new ways to share about them in and outside of your home, and simply being able to see photos and videos of them doing life.
Same, Same but Different
We want to encourage conversations about our kids and celebrate their lives. But I’ve even found times when I don’t quite understand and possibly have misconceptions of Haitian culture, what life at an orphanage is like, and more simply–what daily life looks like for our kids. Through the blog post series Same, Same but Different, we hope to provide insight and education in how our kid’s lives are similar to our own, but still different in many ways.
How does our One Vision family celebrate birthdays?
What I remember from my birthday parties as a kid, as well as birthday parties I’ve been to in recent years, there is usually a theme. Along with the party theme, there’s cake, balloons, streamers, crafts, and music as friends and family gather to celebrate someone special to them.
Today, we’re looking at how One Vision birthday parties are the same, same but different 🙂
Because there are currently 74 kids at the orphanage, celebrating each birthday individually would be a challenge. Once a month, a day is chosen to celebrate all of the birthdays that fall in that month. This party is a BIG celebration. The kids so look forward to this day–dressing up, singing songs, and celebrating their brothers and sisters. There’s cake, snacks, and juice/soda. All of the preparation and celebration sets this day apart from all the rest. It’s a day full of anticipation, joy, and gathering together to celebrate family.
It’s neat to think about how our lives in Haiti and in Iowa aren’t so different. What’s even greater is knowing we are each a part of Christ’s family. These are our brothers and sisters in Him. What a reminder to take delight and joy in the little things, like birthday parties. What may feel simple to you brings so much joy and anticipation to another.
