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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
I hope you’ve enjoyed our blog series for #GlobalGoals week and been inspired by the diverse work of Viva and our partner networks.
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?
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.