Secret Santa Made it to Abidjan...But He's Stuck in Customs...

Remember the French class students in New Jersey that orchestrated a Secret Santa delivery of gifts to the girls at the Grand Bassam Orphanage? Well, here's an update.

The gifts made it!! They arrived on December 24th!!!

But...unfortunately, we've had some communication mix ups, and a snow storm in New York the night of departure and finally, we just missed the ball. Long story short, the holidays were quite a challenge, but they made it.... Unfortunately, though, for now, Secret Santa's box of gifts are stuck in customs at the airport!

We're working on both sides of the Atlantic to get the paperwork in place, and hopefully, the girls will get their gifts soon. There is one for each and every girl, with a few extras in case anyone was missed.

Personally, I want to take this moment to just say to the students - "my kids at the EMIC" that I am very, very, proud, touched, and encouraged, by their sincerity, their determination, and their committment. They made this happen. And I am eternally grateful and in awe of their French Teacher, my friend and colleague, Karen, who helped me last year, and guided them, and committed way more than her share this year, to getting it done.

One thing I have really learned well in the last year....there are many, many, many, who will not...But there are those small few.... who WILL and who HAVE the WILL.... They are amazing. Grace. And they make all the difference.

And truth is I know the ones who will not -- I have been one of them, for most of my life, for the most part, actually. I AM one of them, still, in many ways.....after all...we're all only human....

But in this last year, I have had the opportunity to be one of the others....one of those small few who have had THE WILL to try. To do it anyway. To do it.... because.... it feels.... right.

And you know what? It feels good. I feel good.

And I know that each of these students -- my kids -- Vincent, whose company helped with the shipping again this year, and Karen who helped me last year, and took the reins and ran with it this year, the Admin at the school who said "ok, do it," and all the scattered, 100 plus or minus individuals who each accepted a name, and offered a gift, or added their 2 cents, my sister, who slipped in just in the nick of time..... they all know what I mean.

I'll let you know how it's going...hopefully, we'll make some headway tomorrow....