Be a blessing, be blessed

When you bless others you'll be bless more

I feel happy as in iba yung pakiramdam na makita mo how people you've helped appreciates every little things you've done for them. I've been to several gift givings mostly children and iba yung experience, and ilang beses na rin ako napapaiyak everytime that the facilitator of the organization asked me to give some inspirational words for the kids. Makita ko pa lang masaya yung mga kids doble yung saya ko for them. Their smiles is more than enough to compensate all the hardships we made in collecting, gathering, packing and distributing all the donations we've got for them. Their "thank you" is a sweet sound in my ears and yung super happy ng feeling, unexplainable kasi I know how sincere they are. Feeling that way is one of the great blessing I consider.

Here are some pictures taken last October 2012 on gift giving fest I organized in my hometown for Lingap Pangarap Paslit Inc.

volunteers/cheerful givers and children of LPPCI

 the happy na cheerful givers and volunteers pa - SUPER THANK YOU talaga sa inyo

Seeing only the pictures of the charity works I'd supported doesn't mean less happiness, for in every smiles captured I feel the happiness too. Of course mas masarap nga kung nasa event physically but that what's I learned in reaching out people - to extend your hands through your heart. You may not physically touch and hug those children, patients or whom you want to reach out but your heart is with them by sharing, giving, and blessing them in some ways.
These pictures on successful MAY Birthday Project 2012 at Philippine General Hospital (PGH) proved it all

I feel so happy everytime I look on this photo, seeing how happy the little girl was

happy and blessed to share, give and reach out

 the happy na cheerful givers and volunteers of MAY Birthday Project 2012

Doing act of kindness is spreading through you
Honestly its not that easy to have a fund raising or a donation drive especially if you're working in an international company and dealing mostly with different nationalities. I am blessed that even I'm working in a busy schedule I still have time to sneak and peek to have a fund raising drive. Some people asks me how can I still do that and even myself asks the same thing. To God be all the glory for all the strength and wisdom to raise some funds to share and give. But not every time is as smooth as they think, there were days that I want to stop, that I am physically tired already but honestly every time I think how happy the beneficiaries will be I will rise up again and continue, they are my energy booster and inspiration. I'm holding on to what the Lord says :
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13: 34-35

Sometimes in the unexpected day that seems that my energy is low, thinking if the fund raising will prosper or not, what if no one wants to buy at Book sale for a cause 2013, what will happen? will my money in my pocket will be enough? I thank the Lord, He knows my heart's desire and never let me to be on my lowest point doing this ministry. He sent some people to uplift me to go on and sometimes I was amazed on how they knew that I'm having fund raising and more I'm helping or doing charity activities, to think they are different nationalities.


MEET "Lolo"
Meet my former boss, Mr. Sato. He is a Japanese and known to be strict when it comes to work. Before I met him, I heard a few stories how strict he is to his staffs and some even said "good luck Jen", well I will be reporting and working to him directly. But the first day I met him on the "hand over" party - farewell for the old boss and welcoming him, I had a good feeling and impression on him contrary to what other are saying. I'm the emcee of the party that night and good I didn't recognized that he was in the crowd or else I'll be super nervous for sure. 
First day of work he called me and talked to me. He is the humblest boss I ever met (so far), he acknowledge that he is just new and will be needing help for all the staffs and one thing registered on my about him "if you know what you'll be doing is right go for it but always be ready for whatever consequences it will bring and you must always have proof.." I and all the staffs had a good relationship with Lolo. He will set a meeting in each of his staff just to know what is happening on our personal life like to our family or we have any concerns regarding our work. We love Lolo and even other staffs from different department. When its time for him to left the project, I was one of the first staff to know, and I remember my reaction when he told me, I cried and when I got back to my seat all of my colleagues are asking why I am crying but I can't tell them as Lolo told me to give him another week to tell to the department. He had few farewell parties not only from our department but even from other staffs who really respect and love him.

 Sato-san and me taken on his Farewell Party

He is thoughtful and generous. He always have something from chocolates to souvenir items everytime he went to Japan or to other places he been. I received so many memorabillas from Lolo and one is what I called the coins of hope.

One day he called me and handed to me a pouch bag as I'm holding that, I asked him what's inside and why its that heavy. He told me that those are coins from different countries he visited. WOW ang dami na nyang napuntahang bansa. But more than that, he added that those have a little value but if added together (referring that if I'll change it into one currency) if can help people also. I was wondering what he is saying while I know that he doesn't know anything on the gift giving for the LPPCI that I organized that year (2008 I think). Then he said that he learned that I'm helping one foundation and the beneficiaries are children and he is giving me those money to help us well. I know how important those coins to him, in every centavo maybe is a sealed with a story but he gave it away for children.


MEET the "Tagamaneho"
Meet Murali, our department driver in the company who also been my evening transportation service for almost 5 years. He is the ever patient who will wait for me whatever time I finished from work. He is one of the person who knows that I left the office on time every Wednesday and go to my bible study on Thursday after work. He is the one who brings me to the hospital when I have no one and ask me how the check up was. He knows that I don't cook as sometimes he will drop me in a store to buy bread or any food. I owe a lot to this person.
He is an Indian national and I know how he works hard for him to support his family in his country. He has three children and his eldest is in college already. I know from the news and other articles I've read how hard the life in their country, even he has small business way back home its not enough for the needs of his family, and that's why I know that every riyals he earned really matters.

 with Murali on our company party

Last week, April 25 Thursday he dropped me at what he called "church house", house where we conducts bible study. I was about to go down the car when he asked me for a few seconds, I thought he will ask me to sign on his time sheet but to my surprise he is holding a hundred Qatar riyals. I asked him what's that for and he told me to buy foods and drinks. I didn't understand at first until he explained to me that he is giving it to the children I'm supporting, what he meant is for the gift giving for charity. I know he needs money for his family and 100QR is already a big amount for him but he insisted to give it. 

I am blessed to see how sincere Sato-san and Murali in reaching out people. They doesn't mind whether who will be the beneficiaries - whether what race or nationality, all they want is to share, give, and reach out to the way that they can. If those races extend they heart from Filipinos how much more my "kabayans" (fellow Filipino). Their act of kindness strengthens, boosts me to go on and press forward to this ministry. I'm not waiting to be recognized what I want is to spread the act of kindness in a way that I know - sharing and giving some blessings and reaching out people to the simplest yet best way I can.

Let's care, share, and inspire children of Philippine General Hospital 7th annual gift giving of  MAY Birthday Project 2013  on May 18, 2013.

Even we're miles away from them still we can reach them through our heart. Be blessed through our Book sale for a Cause 2013, buy any the book of your choice at cheapest price and bring the smiles in children's face or by simply donating any amount of money, even one riyal matters as long as it is from your heart. You can just approach me by sending me message or post your comment in here. Rest assured that all the money to be collected will go to support the MAY Birthday Project. 

Or you can also directly send it to my friend Kcat Yarza, who is the head organizer of the MAY Birthday Project: 

BPI Savings Account # 1899 394 7 51

Name: Maria Kathrina L. Yarza

Its not how much we give but its the love we put in giving. As Kcat said " Our hands will never be too small for helping those who are in need, as long we have the heart to care"

Like Sato san and Murali and all other volunteers and cheerful givers from our previous charity works may we  open our heart in reaching out the needy, to love one another as God has told us.

Through each other we CAN do it again, let's make it happen for MAY Birthday Project 2013, a SUCCESS like what we did last year

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive." - Acts 20:35