As Cleo sits with her beloved grandmother, she whispers a prayer of gratitude for the gift that would make this Christmas unforgettable.
At 16, Cleopatra attends St. Odilia School for the Visually Impaired with the support of her Chalice sponsor and the Kawambwa site in Zambia. She’s always grateful for her sponsor, but this Christmas, she’s planning something special.
After receiving her sponsor’s gift of special money, she headed for the market. She bought eggs, sweets, drinks, and a few other party essentials. But she didn’t stop to invite friends or neighbours to a gathering. No, she was headed straight for her grandma’s house.
“We used [the gift] when celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ with my grandmother whom I visit during my Christmas holiday,” Cleo says.
Her grandmother, Bertha, lives alone after the death of her husband. She was delighted to see her youngest granddaughter. After a hug, Cleopatra helped her clean the house and do the dishes. Then they set off to their nearby church for holy Mass.
“After church, I prepared the meal which we enjoyed together and she sang with me a famous hymn about Christmas,” Cleopatra says. “She blessed me and told me a lot stories how Christmas used to be celebrated during their times. I was so touched that, despite our age, we still miss more on how to celebrate this occasion. “
It was deeply meaningful for Cleopatra to be able to share her sponsor’s generous gift with her family. She feels as though her sponsor’s special money empowered her to be Christ to the poor.
“My life has never been the same,” Cleopatra says, “because Jesus Christ is within me through the deeds; I have also been sharing to the neighbour about what this Jesus has done in my life, and of course, by bringing my sponsor closer to me in my life.”
“With this gesture, I can say the Lord Jesus Christ is born in my life.”
When you send a gift of special money to your sponsored friend before Monday, November 17 2025, it will reach them in time for them to give their family a magical Christmas.
Call us at 1.800.776.6855 or send an email to info@chalice.ca