Celebrating the Season of Giving: the 2017 Outreach Program at Sto. Niño Children’s Home Foundation, Incorporated
Norwegian Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset said in one of her pieces said, “And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans — and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused — and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.”
One of the many joys of Christmas is the season of giving. Last December 15, 2016, the volunteers (1st to 4th year law students of Silliman University) of the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development (Salonga Center), spearheaded by Atty. M. Mikhail Lee Maxino, together with Atty. Gracelyn Bellingan and Atty. Karissa Faye Tolentino, organized a fun day, a gift-giving activity and an energy-induced program which included a humble supper sponsored by the said office.
The program included the following activities: getting-to-know- you, introducing themselves, and stating the meaning of Christmas and playing games such as “Bring Me”, “Paint Me a Picture”, and “The Boat is Sinking”. The most awaited part was supper time wherein both volunteers and resident lawyers of the Salonga Center dined together with the children whose faces beamed with delight and excitement. Having eaten the meal fully, everybody sang the song, “Star ng Pasko,” which drew tears from everybody’s eyes.
The Director of the Salonga Center, Atty. Mikhail Lee Maxino, in his concluding speech, surprisingly announced that the office had prepared gifts for the children. School bags which contained several materials for their personal hygiene, school supplies, and others.
Seeing the children gleam upon receiving the bags was a very tear-jerking, heart-squeezing moment to watch. There wasn’t a more joyous moment than that. After all, amidst the battles that we all face everyday, we should never forget the reason for the season: Jesus Christ; and what better way to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour than to do what His Father has done: to give. And may we always be reminded of the prayer of St. Francis: that “It is in giving that we receive.”
From all of us in the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development, Merry Christmas and may you all have a prosperous and blessed year ahead!
