Did you get a crappy present this year for Christmas?

Right next door to TLC is a slum settlement. For those who dont know a slum settlement is a place where people illegally build temporary houses because they have no where else to live. 

Jackson is the name of the settlement next to TLC. Over 1500 people live in the settlement, many of them are children. Most of the houses are made out of metal sheets. There is no running water, electricity and other basic human needs.  The Government has put in some toilets in the settlement, but over 20 people have to share each individual toilet. The conditions there are pretty shocking.

Each year TLC fills up on of their buses full of presents and drives to Jackson to hand out the presents to the children. Most of the presents are clothes, food, school supplies and old toys, things which are really useful for them. 

The kids where so excited for the presents! For many of them, it would be the only present they got this Christmas.

I really wanted to get out of the bus to chat to the kids and to hand the present to them personally, but apparently it was to dangerous. I was happy just to see the excited looks on their faces.

The kids chased us down the street as we drove around. They where excited.

We even had some presents for some of the women there. Food, clothes, shoes, toiletries. Things they will need. They where so so thankful.

It made me really reflect on Christmas at home. Often Christmas becomes about what presents I get. I was so rebuked when I handed a child a second hand toy and his face lit up with such joy!

If you got a crappy present for Christmas this year, or something you didnt want, I challenge you to think about those who didn't get any Christmas presents at all. Or even those who couldn't afford food on Christmas. Cause I assure you, there are lots of people here who are in that situation.