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Door of Hope's Bi-annual Multi-Purpose trip to TownNovember 14, 2014
Door of Hope's Bi-annual Multi-Purpose trip to Town
By Annamarie Pearson
We are taking all the kids from the Door of Hope Children's home to Puerto on the 20th to attend a wedding of one of their school teachers who's getting married on the 22nd. I'm not sure yet whether we'll be giving out the Christmas Packages here before we go, or there in Puerto, since we'll be there for Christmas. Either way, I can't wait to see the kids faces when they open their gifts at the Christmas Party. We are planning on December 15th and 16th, for the boys and girls Christmas Parties, or maybe the 22nd and 23rd, in Puerto if I can wait that long. :)
We are practicing Christmas Carols in English and Tagalog. So the Door of Hope School Choir will be singing in several churches in Puerto and doing their Christmas Presentation while we are in town for Christmas. The children are looking forward to sharing their talents for the glory of God, including at least one instrumental, with flutes, trumpets, clarinets, violins, guitars, and tambourines. They will also be singing and playing their instruments at their teacher’s wedding and reception. They are so excited.
We have a special opportunity that I wanted to mention to you, that you may want to be a part of. Each year we do our best to provide at least one medical and dental check-up for each of the children. Some of them need teeth pulled and filled. The costs are minimal compared to States prices: Four dollars for extraction or cleaning, six to eight dollars for a filling. But it does add up.
Medical check-ups are usually about $7 per child. There shouldn't be any additional charges since all the kids are relatively healthy. We need to have a yearly well-child checkup for each of the kids, to update the records in each of their folders.
If possible I would also like to have their eyes checked too. Some of them have been having trouble seeing the board in school and may need glasses. I know a Christian Ophthalmologist who will possibly do the eye exams free of charge. But eye glasses, if necessary for any of the kids, will cost between $20 and $40 depending on the prescription.
Transporting everyone to Puerto from the Door of Hope and back again presents a significant additional cost, not a part of the regular monthly budget. We have to rent 2 shuttle vans costing approx. $100 each, both ways. That's a total transportation cost of $400. Then there's food and transportation, while we're in Puerto. It's a good reminder why we love our low cost living out in the jungle, with free water, generator power, (and soon to be Hydro), low food costs, since we catch our own fish, and grow some of our own food. And hardly any transportation cost since there's no place to go, and no stores to spend money at. :D
On the other hand, Puerto is always beautifully decorated for Christmas in December, so it will be a treat for the kids to see all the Christmas Lights, huge Christmas trees, and all the Christmas decorations. It's a great time of year to go to town. So anyone who would like to get involved, and help with our multi-purpose trip to town this year, please donate using paypal on our website. Then drop us a note, in the “contact us” section, letting us know that your donation is for the Door of Hope Christmas trip.
...And have a Happy Thanksgiving!
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