HOUSTON – Sitting inside her apartment, Blessing Eregie tries to be a blessing to her five beautiful children by helping them get into the holiday spirit.
So, Blessing starts singing Jingle Bells, and very soon the whole family is singing.
It’s her way of trying to cheer her children up and make their precious little souls forget they’ve actually never had a real Christmas.
“I’ve never actually bought my children one gift ever because there’s no money for food,” Blessing said. “So, I can’t think of gifts.”
Blessing is a hard-working, single mom, who left her home country of Nigeria all on her own with her five children after she says her husband abandoned her and the kids, leaving them with nothing.
Blessing is a part-time caregiver, who relies on her faith in God and church donations to keep a roof over her children’s heads.
But as for Christmas, Blessing’s children have never had one.
This year will be different, thanks to Academy Sports and Outdoors and Laura Alexis of Innovative Lasers of Houston.
We are giving Blessing and all of her children, Vanessa, Jessica, Michelle, and the twins, Phoebe and Patrick, a true Christmas blessing.
Our next big surprise for Blessing was brand new bicycles for each of her children, more than $1,000 in brand new bikes and bicycle helmets, all donated by Academy Sports and Outdoors.
We also have a $1,000 gift card for Blessing to Academy Sports so she can buy the kids whatever they want.
“It’s an answer to my prayers”, Blessing says, nearly in tears.
And for the kids, finally, a reason to cheer and to smile and to believe, in the magic of Christmas and the promise of Christmas miracles.