Here in El Salvador, Valentine’s Day is more commonly referred to as El Día de Amor y Amistad, or Love and Friendship Day. We had a lot of fun this past Thursday celebrating love and friendship together.
We started early with heart-shaped pepperoni on top of heart-shaped pizza for dinner on Wednesday. On Thursday morning, the children were excited to go to school in jeans (rather than their normal uniforms), and they enjoyed heart-shaped pancakes, eggs and bacon for breakfast. At school the kids had parties and ventas, or sales, from which they could buy flowers for their friends or a special snack.
When the kids came home from school, they worked on putting together a costume. After lunch, the caregivers put on a short skit for the kids about the true love of God, and then we had a costume contest. The winners received quite a special treat: a meal from Burger King!
Later, we went up to the terrace for a few games. The kids had to try and get a cookie from their forehead to their mouth without using their hands! There was also a little sock-wrestling. At dinner it was time for more heart-shaped food, but not before everyone took a minute to write down what love means. ¿Que es el amor? Here are some of the answers the children came up with:
Amor es felicidad. Love is happiness.
Amor es sinceridad. Love is sincerity.
Amor es ser amable con nuestros hermanos. Love is being nice to our brothers.
Amor es jugar con amigos. Love is playing with friends.
Amor es armonía. Love is harmony.
Amor es paz. Love is peace.
Amor es respeto a los demas. Love is respect for others.
Amor es confianza. Love is trust.
Amor es que Dios nos dió la salvación. Love is that God gave us salvation.
After everyone had completed the activity, dinner was served on decorated tables and plates: heart-shaped cheeseburgers, heart-shaped twice-baked potatoes, and ice cream floats. Yum!
The last Valentine’s surprise was a scavenger hunt. Every child was given one clue. If they figured out their clue, they were rewarded with a bag of candy! Don’t worry, some needed a little help, but everyone figured it out.
Special activities and holidays have a way of reminding us how much fun we have together. We hope that wherever you are, you and yours felt a lot of love this Valentine’s Day. Here at Love & Hope Children’s Home, we discover everyday that love never fails.
It sure doesn’t.