Hispanic Centre gives gifts for 'Three Kings Day'

The Arima Hispanic Cultural Centre (HCC) delivered about 200 gifts to Venezuelan and Trinidadian children on Wednesday, during the Three Kings Day celebration.

This was the third year in a row the HCC had done so.

Andreina Briceño Brown, director of the HCC, said: "For the Venezuelan community, especially for children, January 6 of each year is a day of celebration in which the Three Kings give gifts for the birth of baby Jesus."

January 6 marks Epiphany, or in patois Lewah, the day the three wise menarrived in Bethlehem, following a star, and saw the baby Jesus.

These three kings arrived in traditional costumes.

"A local person gave us a similar outfit and the HCC team of collaborators made the other two," she said. "Three men (one Venezuelan and two Trinidadians) volunteered to serve as the Three Kings for this special day."

The gifts were donated by various local religious, cultural and educational institutions.

Briceño Brown told Newsday she had asked for help from the police and divided the children due to collect gifts into smaller groups, in compliance with preventive measures for covid19.

"It is a pride and satisfaction to be able to meet our children who every year wait for the gifts of the Kings. We thank all the people and institutions that collaborated," she said.

The first gift delivery was at 11am in Wallerfield, Arima, where a group of 15 Venezuelan children live.

Ronnier Arzolay has been on Trinidad for two years and three months with his two sons Dariannis and Ronnier.

He said, “It's a nice activity." He described the reaction of the children to seeing the toys as "the most special thing in the world.”

Braulia Alcantara and her four children were also surprised by the Three Kings of La Casita. Jesús, Nolismar, Oliver and Alfredo, the latter born in Trinidad and Tobago four months ago, were happy to receive their gifts.

"It is very helpful to be able to receive this help, because sometimes we can't get jobs, we've gotten sick, and these kinds of support keep us going," said Alcantara.

Afterwards, the children previously listed and contacted by the HCC went to the new La Casita headquarters on Farfan Street Arima, at prearranged times.

In addition to giving out toys, La Casita volunteers gave breakfast to a number of homeless people from Arima early on Wednesday.

Briceño Brown said: "These activities are part of the reopening of La Casita of the Hispanic Cultural Centre. We look forward to continuing to help refugees."