Over the past twenty years, the Christmas Project "Give Hope" has brought the joy of Christmas to 1,800,000 children in 10 countries across Eurasia - those who were in special need of attention, care and love.
Every year the students of School Without Walls, together with local churches, collect Christmas boxes, organise parties and personally give gifts to children from vulnerable and underprivileged families. Each gift is filled with toys, useful items. Nonetheless, most importantly, every child receives Christian literature and a children's Bible.
This year the project has united 8 countries, the leaders of the SHBS together with volunteers from 350 churches distributed 102,000 Christmas gifts. We believe that through these gifts children can receive not joy, and also hope that there is the One who always loves and helps.
In Azerbaijan, SHBS leaders together with volunteers organised a warm Christmas party for 800 children and their parents. Among the guests there were many children with special developmental and physical disabilities.
On this day, the holiday was not just an event, but a moment of hope for nine-year-old Deniz, who uses a wheelchair, and her younger brother Jamal. Mum raises her children alone and spends almost all her time with her daughter, who needs constant care. Sometimes, there are times when there is no energy to be with her son, it is very challenging.
Everything was different at the party. Jamal was actively involved in the program from the first minutes, and Deniz was surrounded by volunteers who played with her, talked to her and were just there for her. At this time, for the first time in a long time, mother was able to rest peacefully. When the moment of presents came, the children opened the boxes with joy, showing their mother sweets and a brightly coloured children's Bible. As they leafed through the pages, they asked who were the people in the pictures, and their mother quietly read stories from the Bible to them.
