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by Arnel James Y. Suprit
Every year, the whole world halts as the Christmas season seeps into our hearts. Each year, we go home to our families, may it be far or near, and we celebrate the holidays with warmth and love. It is the time for cheer and happy memories, and we are all caught up in the moment that we often forget what Christmas really is about.
In every Christmas that we’ve spent with joy, comes every Christmas that people from unfortunate families spend the holidays having less food to eat, with no proper house, and are not well-clothed. Children have empty stomachs, heartaches are given instead of presents, and cold instead of warmth is felt in a house burdened by the cold Christmas breeze.
It is those types of people that don't really get to feel the Christmas spirit. And it is those people who need to be reminded of the beauty that Christmas brings to the world.
Andam Higala−a youth-led organization acknowledged the need to remind those people and organized the project Santa Higala. The project was aimed at giving gifts to the women and children of Sitio Pamalihi, a relocation site for citizens who were devastated by typhoons, demolitions, fire, etc. in Barangay Pagatpat Cagayan de Oro City.
Sitio Pamalihi is a poverty-stricken community. More so with the advent of Covid-19, wherein families find it hard to land a stable job, roads are harder to cross and the food supply is only at a bare minimum. The people are in need of attention, and Santa Higala happily obliged.
Last December 28, 2020, Santa Higala was able to bring gifts to 60 children in the community. Toys, dresses, slippers, and educational materials were given to them. Also, 21 families have been given hygiene kits, and Media Noche packages to give them a good start for the year 2021.
Through the partnership with different organizations, namely JCI Bai Lawanen, USTP The Host, USTP Sanghimig Chorale, Nature’s Spring, and the secret Santa’s who adopted children as their beneficiaries, the event was made possible.
Even though there were challenges faced along the way, it still didn’t stop the volunteers from delivering a ray of sunshine to the children. And bring light to the already gloomy life that they are experiencing. Motivated to bring a smile to the faces of many, Santa Higala overcame the mud, the rain as well as the challenge brought by Covid-19 to cheer the people in the community.
Even though there were challenges faced along the way, it still didn’t stop the volunteers from delivering a ray of sunshine to the children. And bring light to the already gloomy life that they are experiencing. Motivated to bring a smile to the faces of many, Santa Higala overcame the mud, the rain as well as the challenge brought by Covid-19 to cheer the people in the community.
Christmas this year may not have been the best Christmas that we’ve ever had, but it is still an occasion worthy of celebrating. It is the time of the year for us to be grateful for all the blessings that came to us and our family. And one way of showing gratitude is by giving back.
We all may be living different lives with different standards of living, but we must also remember to share the blessings that we can spare to the unfortunate. A small act of kindness is still kindness. What matters is the smile that you were able to plaster on someone else’s face and the joy that you gave to other people.
The year 2020 was tough, and it was a very challenging year. But with challenges and all, we can all withstand life’s difficulties if we all stand as one and be a helping hand to others. Christmas or not, the act of giving is an act for humanity. By giving back, we give a part of ourselves to others as well, the part that sees the need for kindness in a very tough world.
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