The holidays are huge for retailers in the U.S. Among the best-sellers on Walmart and Amazon in 2015 were Play All Day Elmo ($44.99) and a remote controlled Star Wars R2 D2 he ($197).

In Haiti, these toys are nonexistent. Instead, kids are thrilled to get a tube of toothpaste ($3.25) or a pair of colorful socks ($2.99). It’s a humbling reality that the basic necessities we take for granted are luxuries in northwest Haiti.

Thanks to you, the kids of House of Hope at Port-de-Paix do have enough to eat and sometimes even get wondrous gifts like coloring books and T-shirts. We are very grateful to the support of our friends in the U.S., Canada, and in Haiti.