RETHINKING CHRISTMAS

OFFERING AN ALTERNATIVE 
TO 
WASTEFUL CHRISTMAS SPENDING


Some of the Many Beautiful Kids of St. Vincent

Unless you become like little children, you
shall not enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus

I will be making my eighth mission trip down to St. Vincent and the Grenadines December 11-19. I was supposed to go down in September, but my trip had to be cancelled because of the several hurricanes that came through the Caribbean. 

There are several things I want to accomplish on this trip.

1. Attend the dedication of our recently finished ST. JAMES CHAPEL in the Kingstown Diocesan Pastoral Centre which was rescheduled because of the hurricanes, as well as check on the several other area renovations in the Centre.  

2. Visit Father Rex Ramos on Union Island - one of the places where we hope to finally offer our "computer camp for kids" that had to be rescheduled because the shipping container with our donated computers did not arrive in time last June.  

3. Deliver some funds to buy Christmas gifts for some very deserving children, especially the abandoned and neglected children of St. Benedict Children's Home and the children of Bread of Life Home for children with HIV/AIDS.  
This year I would like to offer some help to the kids on the outer islands as well. 

4. Give a small personal Christmas stipend to the eight nuns working on the island running the orphanages and schools. They sacrifice much personally to carry out their ministries. They certainly deserve a little "mad money" for their own personal needs at Christmas time.

 

Sister Nyra Ann and some of her St. Benedict Home charges with Father Tom Clark and myself in the background.

Sister Zita with some of her charges at the Bread of Life Home. That's me in the background. 

That's little Daniel in the dark gray shirt. He really won my heart when he hugged my leg most of the time I was with him. I can't wait to see how much he has grown in the last year. 

Santa (Fergal Redmond, a fellow volunteer from Ireland) talking to a one of the kids at St. Benedict Home after she received her doll. I am going to try to make sure the kids get some dark-skinned dolls this year. Last year we just had to make-do with what we could get. 

The "meticulously-groomed-for-the-Christmas-party" kids are truly thankful for all the help that comes their way. Last year, they said a prayer together before opening their presents. Sadly, you probably would not see that in the US.





We want to make sure Santa remembers the heroic Sisters working down there as well.
(Sister looks very happy. I don't know if Santa is tickling her or she is just happy to get the check!)

If you are interested in helping me with these Christmas projects, please send your tax-deductible check 

made out to ST. BARTHOLOMEW CHURCH - SVG MISSION FUND to me and I will make sure it is deposited in their account in Florida and alert them that they can begin drawing it out and shopping for the kids even before I get there on December 11. 

Since I know this situation and many of its people quite well, you can rest assured that your donations will be used properly. 

I pay my own way down and back and cover all of my own personal expenses. 




When I met this young man  at St. Benedict Home for Children for the first time, he was asleep in his playpen. I am holding him after I woke him up from his nap talking to loudly to Sister Nyra Ann.

Here he is a little older in his SUPERMAN shirt.
I can't wait to see how much he has grown in the last year.

Rev. Ronald Knott

1271 Parkway Gardens Court

#106

Louisville, KY 40217