Dear Editor,
Soon it will be Christmas. Most people look forward to Christmas, but I look back at it. Looking back, I remember one Christmas when I was nine years old, my family was broke and homeless.
We were staying at a friend’s house. The house was located in a violent village. By the age of nine, I had moved ten times, from one village to another because we couldn’t afford to pay the rent.
Of all the houses that we lived in, I remember living in one particular house because it reminds me of the saddest and darkest Christmas of my life. In November of that year, I was looking forward to Christmas, and I remember asking my mother for a toy gun for the holiday. When November turned into December, I intensified my request. Days before Christmas I remember crying, pleading, and begging for my gift.
Then came Christmas and I didn’t get any gifts; instead, I received a whipping. My mother unleashed her hurt, pain, anger, and frustration on me. Because she didn’t have any money and was struggling financially, she expected me to understand. But being innocent and naive, I didn’t. Being so young, I didn’t understand what it meant to be broke and homeless. All I understood was that at Christmas, every child wanted a gift.
After the beating, I was crushed, broken, wounded, scarred, and traumatised. For me, that experience stole the joy of Christmas from me. This is why it’s difficult for me to enjoy Christmas today; it reminds me of sad and depressing time.
However, I believe Christmas is the most important holiday of the year because Jesus Christ came into this world to give me the greatest gift that I can ever receive, forgiveness of my sins and to spend eternity with Him in heaven. His gift is far more important than any gift. Therefore, fellow Guyanese, as you prepare to celebrate Christmas, I ask you to remember that there’s a child who needs a toy for Christmas.
Secondly, I’m asking parents to never take out their hurt, pain, anger, and frustrations on their children.
Lastly, I strongly believe that children (and especially orphans) need our help during Christmas. So I’m asking you to take your children to an orphanage and give a gift to an orphan. It’ll mean so much to the orphans, and it’ll help your children.
When we help the orphans, God will bless us. The Bible says, “That it’s more blessed to give than to receive.”
So this Christmas, let us be more willing to give than to receive. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and may God give you the desires of your heart for the New Year.
Yours faithfully,
Anthony Pantlitz