The Christmas season is the time to share God’s love with everyone… Viva Christmas Parties are often the highlight of the year for many children and volunteers connected to our partner networks around the world. Children have fun and feel loved, communities are strengthened, and churches share the good news of Jesus Christ. Through the […]
Category: Christmas Parties
Games, gifts and the gospel… Christmas Parties 2020
BY LUCY COX The opportunity to break through the darkness surrounding children with fun, gifts and sharing the love of Jesus has never been more important. The pandemic of 2020 has been a global emergency that has affected children everywhere. The work of Viva’s partner networks to come alongside these children – to support them […]
Christmas Parties: come as you are
BY ANDREW DUBOCK There were no exclusive, red-carpet gatherings. Or invitation-only events with strict dress codes. They weren’t about celebrating celebrities or those at the top of the social ladder. No, these parties were much more special than that. They welcomed those usually forgotten about, left behind and pushed away from the spotlight. They were […]
Double Impact of Global Christmas Parties
BY ANNA COX & VICTORIA PRICE More than twice the number of children attended a Christmas Party supported by Viva in December last year than in 2016. The total number of children reached was over 9,500, and incredibly, a third of these children had never encountered a Viva partner network in any way before. These […]
Over 4,000 children attended a Viva Christmas Party
BY ANNA COX Thirteen networks around the world hosted 27 Christmas Parties in December with support from Viva. The events brought children of different backgrounds, churches and organisations together for a day to celebrate God’s love and care where they were able to hear the Christmas story and learn valuable lessons to improve their understanding […]
All children want to play, learn & celebrate together
BY ANNA COX Thanaa is a ten-year-old girl who lives in a slum on the bank of river Ganges. Her father is a daily wage earner and mother a domestic maid. She had never been given the opportunity to join in at any celebrations until she came to a Christmas Party organised by Viva’s partner […]
Delhi reflections: Balloon Girl
I spotted the colours first. A red, a green, a yellow: illuminating the darkness of early evening. Balloons! Being held by a girl no older than my own daughters… Sitting in the back of a cab, heading back to my hotel after an exhilarating few hours in Old Delhi, I spotted this Balloon Girl whilst […]
Global Goals Week: Summary
I hope you’ve enjoyed our blog series for #GlobalGoals week and been inspired by the diverse work of Viva and our partner networks.
Turkey sandwiches, balloon antlers and fairy lights: Christmas comes early in Grove
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon in July, so why could the strains of ‘Jingle Bells’ be heard drifting across the field? Even more bizarrely, why were people lounging around on picnic blankets and humming along to ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ whilst eating turkey and cranberry sandwiches and mince pies?
A magical time for Indian children
With Spring on its way it might seem a strange time to be writing about Christmas! However, connections formed at the 2015 Viva Christmas Parties in several regions of India have impacted the lives of vulnerable children well beyond the yuletide season.