Written by: Ate Ren dela Cruz, Board Member
With the advent of Christmas in the month of December, many children are extra excited as they wish to spend more time with loved ones, look forward to Christmas day, and receive all sorts of gifts and goodies. But as we celebrate the season, there are also those who wish for more, for something different – joy and healing – much like the kids of Bahay Aruga, a halfway house for kids battling cancer. It is inspiring to note though, that amidst their condition, these kids still laugh, giggle, and desire fun and excitement just like other kids.
In light of this we were delighted to learn that kuya Kevin wanted to celebrate not just the holiday season, but also his birthday, paying forward his blessings to children who need the blessings most. So on December 3, we trooped over to Bahay Aruga with kuya Kevin and his loved ones, to bring joy to the kids there.
We started off the day with kuya Harvard introducing the volunteers in a fun getting-to-know, which also was a way for the kids to see their new ates and kuyas going all out to entertain, and be open to sharing about themselves. We then grouped them into teams so they could bond more throughout the time we had, and so the volunteers could learn about the kids as well. Games such as pass the ball were played to establish rapport among our kids and volunteers, and it was a delight to see the children laughing and smiling as they competed amongst themselves. Kuya Kevin also got a clown to entertain the kids and kids at heart, much to everyone’s delight.
In true Filipino kids’ party fashion, we also had a pabitin portion, where the kids excitedly rushed to get the many toys that kuya Kevin and his friends wanted to give out. To replenish all the energy we had mealtime as well, allowing for more time for the ates and kuyas to intentionally spend time with the kids. Before we capped off the event, we greeted kuya Kevin a happy birthday, and the children warmly hugged their ates and kuyas goodbye, grateful for imparting joy, and lifting their spirits, through the event.
