We wanted to share some of our favorite Christmas photos with you. These come courtesy of Children’s Cup, our partner in Swaziland, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

We’ve partnered with Children’s Cup for years, and we can say this with certainty: they know how to throw a party. The way they celebrate Jesus’ birth is so joy and hope filled, the delight in each child’s face is immeasurable.

We are especially impressed that they didn’t just celebrate Jesus’ birth, they taught the kids how to celebrate His life, too! Some of their activities included fishing for men, walking on water, rolling away the tombstone, and leaping into heaven. And there was cake and fireworks, too!

If you want to see more of this awesome party, check out the photo gallery link below. And if you want to read what it’s like for a child to encounter Jesus and the celebration of His birth in a whole new way, read the story below. This is a composite account of what the children experience, but just image what memories this makes in the heart of a child!

Click the photo above to see more images from the Christmas parties!

Walk through a Christmas Celebration through the eyes of a child, courtsey of Mitch and Charlotte Hildebrant, Children's Cup missionaries and Mission of Mercy project directors:

I got there at 9am, I wanted to be early and I did not want to stay at my house. I don’t like being at my house. At my center there was a group of people all wearing the same shirts. They had music playing. They were dancing and were so happy. They ran between the colorful giant jumping castles across the lot and passed the tents to hug me and walk me up to the tarps spread across the ground. There are two tents in the yard this year, and a big waterslide with soapy suds. The interns, teachers and missionaries invited me to sit down and put a colored yarn on my wrist. This yarn was the same as all of my other friends. We are all 9 years old.

They put on a really neat skit about the shepherds and what they saw when Jesus was born, and how they felt happy to know that God was with them. Then it was like a real movie-the PUPPETS came out and performed for us! We broke up into our groups and started with the fish pond. I got a homemade lollipop when I fished. They told me I had become a fisher of men! Right beside me my friends were getting their faces painted so I asked Karen to make me a lion because Daniel and the Lion are my favorite story.

A bell rang and we rushed to the next station. DANCING! Xolile taught us how to dance together and we all did the same moves. My little sister stayed in the preschool area and played the whole time. I saw her when I walked through the classroom to the craft area.

Zama had such a big smile – she gave me markers to color a small circle with a picture of Jesus and his mom and dad. It said “GOD IS WITH ME.” I used red, green, yellow and blue and walked over to Charlotte. She took my drawing and put it in some machine. I was SO surprised, out came a button with my drawing in it! She pinned it on my shirt. I have never made a button before. I am so excited to take it home.

On my way to the jumping castle, I looked across the field and saw my cousin. He is 14 and was with his friends under another tent. They were playing games and learning about God being with them. The missionary said they were playing “Minute to win it” games-whatever that means. I know he is excited; they gave him a bible. It is his first bible; I know his family will be happy.

My friends and I got in the castle and jumped so high. Philani told us to think about Jesus and his trip up to heaven. I closed my eyes and imagined going there. As I finished and put my shoes on, I smelt something cooking. Zinty and Alice were by the cooking structure with the bomake(women). They had lunch ready for me. They gave me 3 big pieces of fish and a small loaf of bread. I remember hearing about how Jesus fed a lot of people with fish and bread. I don’t get fish very often, it was so good!

My tummy was full, so I ran over to the water slide. We were all so excited, I have never had so much fun. Sandra told me that Jesus walked on water and that He was there when Peter started to walk on water too.

Then Nelly gathered all of us together. We sat down and Mduduzi and Stephen shot off fireworks! I have never seen fireworks before. They scared me at first, but they were so pretty. I looked to the other side of the tent and auntie Grace was carrying out a HUGE birthday cake and we all sang happy birthday to Jesus. The cake didn’t have candles. Instead it had these bright sticks that Njabulo said were called sparklers. They made me happy. We all ate cake together and it had frosting too. It was so good and sweet.

I thought the day was over, but then Sizwe lined us up. Teacher Zanele and the missionaries handed me and my friends a balloon that said “God is with ME”, and then they gave me a gift too. I got a facecloth, a bar of soap and a pretty necklace.

I know that after today, no matter what happens to me, no matter what my uncle does to me, no matter what happens to my grandma, no matter what, that GOD is with me. He loves me and I love him.

This is just a taste of what children in Swaziland experience at Christmas. Because of the Christmas parties, these children know that there is a God that loves them and is always with them. They experienced hope in the midst of their hurt. The children were surrounded by people who love them for who they are, and they experienced the joy that only God can bring.

These parties are both simple and extravagant -- and they represent the hope that is found when a message is planted deep into a heart of a child. And that message is that God is with them and loves them so much. What a fantastic Christmas gift!