The beauty of our Christmas Program is the way it touches the lives of those who serve with us too… even people from around the globe. Here’s an email we recently received from Joe O’Connor from New Zealand. He was in Massachusetts last year coaching field hockey at Holy Cross.

Hi Guys! Not sure if you will remember a New Zealand field hockey coach called Joe, but that’s me! I helped out a little bit last year at the Keeper in Easton around early-mid December with the Christmas deliveries!

I’m back home now that my time in the States is over, and I suddenly realized that after all this time I had never got in touch to say what amazing work you guys do. Honestly it was an incredible experience to be a part of, even for just a week or so. The difference you make in other’s lives is genuinely heartwarming. Seeing the faces of the kids when we delivered their Christmas parcels, and even more so, the faces and gratitude of the mothers and fathers was something I’ve never really experienced before, and it showed the difference a person can make in someone’s life with a few presents, a song, a hug and a smile.

There were too many amazing people I met to name, but guys like Erich and Ryan who ran things so smoothly and calmly, John who encouraged us to sing (haha!), Andrew who is roughly the same age as me but is doing so much good work, and Vin who was the first person who greeted me when I arrived and I had no idea what I was doing! All these people, and everyone else I met, what you are doing is something truly special. Thanks for making me feel so welcome!

Thanks for letting me be a part of the tremendous work you guys do. I hope someday I can find a way to help people the way you all do! God bless and hope you are all well!