"A Christmas to Remember"

The 2023 celebration brought together over 500 community members. Preparation began weeks in advance—sourcing gifts of books, toys, and clothing for every child; arranging for abundant food and drinks; coordinating with the town's young cadet corps; organizing games that would engage every age group.

But logistics were only part of the equation. The real preparation involved something deeper: creating an atmosphere where barriers dissolve, where shame gives way to confidence, where a child in worn clothes feels just as welcome as anyone else.

As the celebration began, music filled the air. Not just any music—songs of hope, praise, and joy. The cadet corps arrived in uniform, standing tall, reminding young people that discipline and service matter. Stations were set up throughout the venue: game areas, gift distribution points, food tables laden with more than most families see in months.

The Foundation team noticed something immediately: many children hung back, timid, uncertain. They saw the disparity—fluent English speakers versus those who struggled with the language, staff children in neat clothes versus village children in their best but worn attire, confidence versus hesitation.

This is where intentionality transformed the event. Foundation staff deliberately paired their own children with local children for activities. During horse riding—a highlight that left children wide-eyed with wonder—they ensured every child got a turn, with staff members walking alongside, encouraging, celebrating each moment.

For the games—musical chairs, sack racing, lime and spoon balancing—they created teams that mixed backgrounds. Volunteers spoke in local languages. They knelt down to children's eye level. They cheered louder for the shy ones. They made sure every child felt that this celebration was theirs.

And then came the gifts. Each child received books to expand their minds, toys to spark imagination, and clothing to restore dignity. Parents watched, many with tears streaming down their faces, as their children unwrapped items they'd never dreamed of receiving.

But perhaps the most profound moment came during the open sessions. Apostle Cephas Williams and Ernest Williams, the Foundation's CFO and a seasoned accountant, opened the floor for questions—about faith, about life, about practical matters like managing finances and planning for the future.

Adults who'd carried burdens in silence found a safe space to ask. Young people who'd never had mentors found role models willing to listen. The message was clear: this community matters, your questions matter, your future matters.

Throughout the day, something beautiful happened. The timid children, like Kofi, began to emerge. Encouraged by staff, embraced by volunteers, paired with other children who smiled at them despite language barriers—they started to play. To laugh. To forget, just for a moment, that their Christmas had ever been anything less than magical.

On their faces, volunteers saw a bittersweet mixture of emotions. Joy, yes—abundant, genuine joy. But also something deeper: the realization that someone cared enough to see them, to celebrate them, to ensure this Christmas would be different. For some of the older children, ages seven, eight, nine, you could see memory at work—comparing this moment to previous holidays that had been ordinary at best, difficult at worst.

Yet in that bittersweet recognition was also hope. If this Christmas could be transformed, maybe others could too. If these strangers could see their worth, maybe they truly had worth. If joy was possible today, maybe it was possible tomorrow.

"I have never seen my son smile like that. When he rode the horse, when he won the sack race, when he opened his gifts—I saw a different child. A child who believes he deserves good things. Thank you for giving him that."

— Parent, Kabiawe-Kponor

As the celebration wound down and families headed home—children clutching their gifts, parents carrying food, everyone carrying memories—the Foundation team reflected on what they'd witnessed.

This wasn't just an event. It was a statement: poverty doesn't diminish worth. Circumstances don't define potential. Every child deserves joy. Every family deserves hope. Every community deserves celebration.

The Women of Zion Foundation has committed to making this an annual tradition. Because they understand that transformation isn't always about long-term programs or infrastructure projects. Sometimes it's about showing up consistently, year after year, to say: you matter. Your Christmas matters. Your joy matters.