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2005 Stories
Updates,
Sharings, Articles
Balik-Diyos
(back to God):
Balik-Bahay
(back to home):
Balik-Hanapbuhay
(back to work):
Balik-Aral (back to
school):
Volunteer
Sharings:
9
Years of Blessing! A Special Lord's Day
Celebration
August 13, 2005, Mt. Carmel Parish Covered Courts
Prayers, God's Word, a lit
candle, bread, grape juice, flowers and cheese graced each table as
 children,
parents, families celebrated 9 years of God's provision through a Lord's Day
celebration.
This is a Christianized
Jewish passover ceremony which draws everyone into a spirit of thanksgiving.
Bright beautiful blue table
settings and catering services were shared generously by the Quijano family,
making the event truly special.
Everyone was in high
spirits! The kids loved having their pictures taken and squealed in
delight when they viewed themselves on the volunteers' digital cams.
They could hardly stay on their seats with all the excitement going on!
Meanwhile,
the Lingkod ng Panginoon, a single young professionals community, provided
the upbeat Christian music.
The volunteers were also in
a joyful mood. I met Joanna Raganit, 26, one of the faithful
volunteers since 2001. She heard about He Cares from her sister Weng
who has been serving in the center for quite some time already.
She says, "Fulfilling mag-volunteer,
masaya". She recounted a time when they were feeding the kids with
rice and meat. One child finished up all his rice and went back for a
refill. Joanna noticed he didn't touch his meat. When he
finished his second helping of rice (with a bit of ketchup for flavor), he
wrappe d up his meat to give to his father. Joanna has learned to
appreciate so many things she takes for granted because of her experiences
with these kids.
Sometimes she says, they
have to partition the softdrinks so they could taste it as this was already
a treat for them.
During the past summer, she
and other volunteers, her sister Weng, Debbie, Melanie, Anna and others,
would go to the He Cares village in Montalban to tutor the kids there.
The hardest part was getting there as it was so far but this was something
they did in shifts to help the scholars of He Cares.
My
anniversary would not be complete if I had not met Aling Letty and her 5
children. Her kids names all starte d with "J". Joyce Ann, Joanna
Marie and John Carl (picture at right) were all hoping to have sponsors so
they could do well in school.
Specially touching to my
spirit was the photos of the different events and programs by Dr. Mae that
have been steadily gaining support and growing little by little through the
struggles and efforts of the He Cares team (and of course by God's grace).
Music and riotous raffles
and presentations lasted on through the night, making it one of the most
memorable anniversaries of the foundation ever! Thank You Lord for 9
years of your provision to the He Cares Foundation!
by Christina Alejandro,
volunteer
*If you like
writing and have time to do articles for the He Cares website and e-mail
newsletter, please contact us so more people can
be inspired by the great stories of faith that happen daily at He Cares
Foundation.
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