In the middle of the Migros Aid Academy 2023 Christmas party, six-year old George exclaimed, “This is the best day of my life!” Although I have lived quite a few more days than George has, even I would have to rank that day pretty high on my list of best days ever!
It is difficult to explain how much I have come to admire and love the 18 students who attend Migros Aid Academy weekly. They come on Tuesday evenings full of curiosity, enthusiasm, and positive attitudes. After a long day of school, the students work hard every session on homework or other projects we give them. They all do school in a language that is not their first language – and is sometimes their 3rd or 4th language. Older children care for their younger siblings every evening while their parents work. All of them have developed a resilience that comes from fleeing wars, living in refugee camps, moving to a new country, and navigating a different culture. And through all of that, they are also regular kids who love a party filled with games, food, and gifts!
After all their hard work this semester, our Christmas party was a celebration of it all! They ate dinner and then stuffed themselves with sugary treats! They played relay games with Oreos and Cheerios. Every student received a certificate of achievement and a generous gift from Eagle Church, one of our valuable ministry partners.
I tell people frequently that Migros Aid Academy is the best place in Indianapolis to be on Tuesday evenings and that the coolest kids in the world are there. I wholeheartedly believe it. The students have a place so dear to my heart that I can hardly believe I did not know most of them two years ago.
If you would like to get involved with Migros Aid, we would love to find a role for you! You will be changed, I promise!
By Angie Wiggins, Director of Migros Aid Academy
