one.

First Christmas party of the year: Noh Poe refugee camp.

We were in the mountains about five hours outside of Mae Sot, and it was cold! Very, very cold, particularly for a bamboo hut and bucket bathing.

{Partners staff}

{singing carols}

{wise words from the leader}

{the kids acted out the Christmas story, and it was hilarious: here are the shepherds and sheep, or kids in blankets behind the chairs}

{Herod’s guard, threatening the wise men with a badminton racquet}

{the wise men’s offerings: a coconut, Christmas tinsel, and a pen}

{a few hours of games, crafts, and general merriment}

{what says Christmas better than a game of tug-of-war?}

{each student receives a gift; this year each student received a bag, hand sewn by a church in the US, and a new pencil case stocked with pencils, erasers, and a sharpener}

{gifts for the caregivers: a jacket that says “Partners Children’s Projects” on the back with a bible verse}

{a very wise, crazy leader with some joyful students on Christmas day}