Christmas Stories from the Dominican Republic

At NPH Dominican Republic, some of the children were asked questions about Christmas. Below are some of their honest and heartwarming answers.


Jesel


How did you celebrate Christmas before arriving at NPH? (¿Cómo celebrar la Navidad antes de llegar a NPH?)


Christmas was nothing special, just a normal day. We lived in a really poor neighborhood; me, my brothers, my aunt and my mom. Usually my mom and aunt would go to the disco and leave me and my brothers home alone. This was normal though. We didn’t get any special food, and we rarely received gifts. When we did get gifts though, they were usually things we needed, like new clothes to replace the old, ruined ones.


What comes to mind when you think of gifts for Christmas? (Lo que viene a la mente cuando se piensa en regalos para Navidad?)


When I think about Christmas gifts I get really happy. I think about NPH and that also makes me happy.

Sebastian


How did you celebrate Christmas before arriving at NPH? 


Christmas before arriving to NPH was always nice. My aunt would join us, and we would have pig, which was not a normal dinner. Although we didn’t get gifts, because we didn’t have money, it was nice to be with each other.


What comes to mind when you think of gifts for Christmas? 


When I think about Christmas gifts I think about all the things I wanted when I was a little kid, before NPH. All of my toys before were broken. Now when I think about it, I am happy. I think of toys and video games and other things kids usually want for Christmas.

Manuel


How did you celebrate Christmas before arriving at NPH? 


Christmas, I can’t remember it so clearly, but I know it was a special time for me and my family. We would eat nice chicken and be with each other. We sometimes got gifts, one time I even got a bicycle! Of course it was for me and my siblings to share, but it was still really cool.


What comes to mind when you think of gifts for Christmas?


I get happy and excited for Christmas time. I think about the presents I have gotten in the past, like that bike. Then I think about all the gifts we have gotten at NPH, like last year when we took all the pictures with the gifts.

Daniella


How did you celebrate Christmas before arriving at NPH? 


We didn’t really celebrate Christmas. I wasn’t living with family before I arrived here, just me and a woman from my neighborhood. She was really nice, but we didn’t celebrate. It was just a normal day, and we were poor so we couldn’t make it special. I have only had one Christmas at NPH so far and it was really nice to be with so many people.


What comes to mind when you think of gifts for Christmas?


It makes me happy. I like opening presents, before you know what the present is. I also like seeing people react when they get a present.

Mayelin


How did you celebrate Christmas before arriving at NPH? 


It was always a really great day! We would eat so much, pig, rice, sweet beans and more. We were really lucky. We had a lot of family close so we would all walk together on Christmas and just spend time together as a family. We got some presents, new shoes and clothes. I liked Christmas before, and I like it here too.


What comes to mind when you think of gifts for Christmas?


When I think about Christmas presents I think about ones I have gotten from the past, who they were from, especially the things I still have with me. I feel happy when I think about it because it is always nice to get presents; it means someone is thinking of you.