A Christmas EB for Kids of Haiyan Survivors

Every Christmas, we hold a Christmas EB (eyeball) for friends and acquaintances to celebrate the season. But this time, I thought why not use this opportunity to do something for the kids of Haiyan survivors here in Metro Manila.

I sent invitation to LinkedIn, Facebook and WSPH list to participate, and a handful of individuals decided to spend the afternoon of Christmas day at an evacuation centre w/ their family, and share their time, talent and resources generously.

As a result, the students, professionals and start-up entrepreneurs who responded, made Christmas day happier for the kids of Yolanda survivors  at the evacuation site also known as “Tent City”, at the Villamor Air Base Elementary School.

This initiative  was able to:

• Raffle cash and benefited 7 of 27 families at the evacuation center.
• Cater a McDo meal w/ toy for the kids at the evacuation site.
• Each kid also received another toy, a set of toiletries, and a kiddie book
• Aside from the cash raffle, families also received a wall calendar
• We also gave gifts (diaries, planners, memo pads, toiletries) to social workers

At the end of the event, we still have 2 large bags of gifts, and as agreed, have turned these over to Cathedral of Praise, who have an ongoing relief operations and can bring the toys and kiddie books, along w/ other relief goods, to Visayas.

One of our objectives for this initiative is to impress upon the kids young mind the Christmas message, and the dance activities we had is a subtle reminder that they are not on their own as they face the future.  Here’s one of the dance activities we just did.

Aside from the food, toys, kiddie books and money the participants gave out. Pocholo Gonzales, the voice master of the Philippines, also shared his talent by performing live before the families. This generated not only smiles but laughter from kids and adults alike.

My prayer for those who made this initiative successful is for the good LORD to look at our birthday gift  w/ favor, and that “wellness” on every area of their lives, and that of their love ones,  will surround them like a shield.

Thank you friends for the trust and by joining this initiative, you are all awesome!