“Remembering Orphans for Christmas”

The true beauty of this wondrous and spirited time of the year unwraps our joyful and caring nature. It is a time to reflect on the fortunes the year has blessed us with and to share the magical feeling with those around us. Christmas is that magnetic season that brings us together and the joys of giving is more than receiving.

As Guyanese at home and abroad celebrate, we at the Guyana-China Students’ Association are reminded of how much children look forward to merriment that comes with the month of December. It is for this reason that we chose to share this season’s hope with the ggirls at the Shaheed’s Girls Orphanage and help them recover from the tragic fire that displaced them in the middle of October. Many may not know what it means to be an orphan nor what it means to lose their home; we can only begin imagine what it means to have experienced both in one lifetime.

GCSA members and supporters in Guyana

For the inaugural Christmas Community Service Project, the 26-member team pooled resources and thanks to our families, friends and supporters we were able to donate in excess of 300,000 GYD. ‘Tis the season of miracles indeed since we were only expecting half of that amount. With this act of kindness, it is our deepest hope to be a positive influence to other Guyanese

associations and organizations, local and overseas, as we too were inspired by other entities.

We believe that charity begins at home and as a young association we are devoted to making positive changes in the lives of people back home. Our country's people are our greatest resource so we are focused on building a harmonious community of Guyanese in China that will work together with those who have returned to bring about positive changes.

The true measure of our generosity is how we answer to a cry for help. It’s easy to respond when tragedy strikes in the lives of whom we know and care for but what happens to those who we may not feel connected to? For the members of GCSA the answer is rather simple; humanity connects us all. To be a bit clearer, there exists no us and them, just us: “one people, one nation, one destiny.”

Children from the Shaheed's Girls Orphanage along with Team GCSA