Charity work is one of my those things i have been meaning to do. I just havent gotten around it. Thanks to our concerned client,SCA Hygiene makers of Drypers Wee Wee Dry diapers, i and my office family scratched the
surface of spending a meaningful weekend with children of White Cross Children’s Home in San Juan.
I was out late the night before like most friday nights, i knew gettin up on an early saturday morning is gonna be a feat but i was up for it anyhow. Sleep deprived with drops of alcohol in my system, I was puzzled when my alarm went buzzing on a weekend morning which i normally spend curled up in bed. I kept it ringing and
it finally came to me that I gotta get up and be somewhere, doing something worthwhile. It’s quite a miracle that i
didnt hit the snooze button and go snoozing. I was happy to get up despite the bed weather that I love to sleep in.
I just thought it was early and there’s lots of the time to catch up with my pillow.
At White Cross, our dear clients were already fixing up for games. We assembled party hats while chatting it up as we go. Jollibee personnel were also gettin ready with treats, games and Chickenjoy. I dont think anyone of us had breakfast, so we were all over the party packs but couldn’t and shouldn’t be drooling over it. It’s our version of fasting.
After getting it all together, the swarm kids from the home came out to the hall. Soon as they came, we quit chatting and helped out bringing the toddlers down the stairs.It’s overwhelming to see that much kids living in one roof and painful to think why they are all there. Cant help but ask why? If i didn’t catch myself offguard, someone would catch me jerking tears looking at all of them. Its a good thing we’re not in the home for the aged, otherwise I dont know how to contain my emotions. Visiting a home for the oldies is next in line, until then I gotta keep myself together and try not to hate or judge their effed up families and the stories behind everyone there.
Jav and Nikky both had their hands around their little girls while Jay was being pulled around by a little boy.
Before getting to the feeding, the bigger kids performed a nerve-racking “sayaw sa bangko,” i thought why such near dangerous number?
teachers/caretakers also provided entertainment doing a Filipiniana dance. Parlor games from Jollibee followed, then the much awaited
distribution of party packs. At last,breakfast with kids having their lunch. The “Pabitin” was put out and i didnt even see it. The kids we’re quick to pull everything out, the cameras didnt catch up. We distributed loot bags with help from Sherilyn’s kids Paoie and Quirsten, Pinky’s little boy Enzo and Diane’s daughter Alex.The kids were soonafter whisked back to their dorms. We turned over boxes of Drypers Wee Wee Dry diapers together with used toys and canned goods, biscuits, clothes and blankets. I feel horrible, I wasnt to bring anything i planned to because i came home late.
White Cross is home to 82 abandoned children from newborn to 6 years old up for adoption. We were shown around the facility and peeped at the infant dorm windows, the adorable toddlers’ room and the dorms of the 3 year old kids we were just playing with at the hall. Surprising to see kids this age fold their own blankets. The facility is well maintained and the kids are well taken care of. I was told other children’s home are not as good and that is our next project.We’re keen on doing charity visits a regular thing and looking forward to opening up realities hidden from our regular world.
Derailed Thoughts 