Written by: Ate Chynna, U! Happy Core Member
It is Christmas season once again – a time of giving, sharing, and love. All of which were very evident last December 22, 2018, as Kuya Marcus, and Ate Elyssa, along with their family celebrated their birthdays together with the kids from Talking Hands, an educational center dedicated to the empowerment of deaf/mute youth and their families. The event was arranged with ate Doris, the Kuya Marcus and Ate Elyssa’s mom, and as it is their first time, they were very excited to share this experience with the kids.
Ate Doris and her family prepared a fun and food filled afternoon with the kids. There were around 30 kids that joined the afternoon activities, and they were divided into 5 groups. The event started off with the Ates and Kuyas grouping with the kids and getting to know each of their members. With the majority of the kids being deaf and mute, it was a very different scene to see as everyone got to know each other, but it certainly was not a hindrance. The kids’ guardians were also there to help out with the upcoming activities for the day. The Talking Hands kids were very jolly and responsive, and they showed their appreciation and excitement to the Ates and Kuyas the entire time.
After introductions were done, everyone was eager to finally play the games. Everyone enjoyed rounds of Bring Me and Arrange Yourselves. The games gave everyone a chance to work and play together. After the games, there were more activities for the kids to enjoy. The next activity was an origami workshop. The kids got to create 4 origami figures: a heart, a dog, a sail boat, and a little paper container. It was a challenging activity for the kids and even the Ates and Kuyas. After the origami workshop, the kids packed away their new origami toys to watch the magic show. The kids loved the magic show and the wonder was clear in their eyes. As the show ended, everyone settled down to finally have everyone’s favorite part of the day: food time! Everyone enjoyed a meal of Jollibee, which was their favorite, and got to have a fun meal with the Ates and Kuyas. After eating, Ate Doris and the family gave numerous and various gifts to the children like school supplies, toys, and pillow.
More than the gifts that showed this family’s generosity, it is their heart to give back and share love and time with these kids that truly made the event of that afternoon memorable. But it is not just during Christmas time when we can share our blessings! Create your own event with us now to spread the love year round!
