The last week of school at Tumaini Evangelistic Pre & Primary School is always one filled with anticipation as the kids start asking about their gifts the week before. So more wonderfilled than others as some ask about what may be in them and others just say “give me bag.” But when we actually give them out it is just pure joy, both for me and for them. Christmas gifts for over 300 students and 21 staff members can be a daunting task. This was the first year to push the Tanzania leadership to handle almost all of the process and that somehow made it harder than actually doing it all. The process starts the year before in collecting and transporting over some of the handmade crochet clothes (I am already getting ready for 2026). In October prices must be gathered so the money can be wired over in November (the school is always slow in getting their monthly financials together which means the monthly operations wire is later in the month) in order to purchase, assemble, transport and pack all 309 bookbags with their gifts.

The bag above is what each student is given. The only differences is that preschool students get smaller bags and smaller notebooks but also a coloring book to go with their crayons. Standard 3 students also get a Bible with their bookbags. In case you cannot tell what all the items are there are exercise books, water bottle, balls (tennis or foam depending on age), toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, erasers, pencil sharpener, pencils, pens fingernail clippers, crayon 4 packs, suckers, crochet clothes and a book bag.

Noreen (pictured above) is my poster child for the annual “I all I want for Christmas are my two front teeth” which the kids love to have me sing to them (just that line in different funny ways). I did have one student with only one front tooth missing and the song does not work as well with “my one front tooth”.

In addition to the students, we give the staff members Christmas gifts as well.