Another year passed, again to celebrate the Christmas season. I just do not feel the season yet. I guess, I was too busy with our move that I didn’t think about Christmas time again. If not that I saw the Christmas tree that is lighting Victoria Plaza Mall and some other areas here in Davao that the trees are up I would not have thought about it. I guess I stayed too much inside our house that I just did not notice anything anymore. Just didn’t feel the coldness in the air I guess too. Hmm, I have to think about of what to give to the kids for Christmas this year.
A few days ago a friend of mine from Cebu came here for a visit and she’s opened a store in Tagum. Its a clothing line. She travels abroad to buy here stock and sells it here in the Philippines. She will be opening a store here in Davao city soon too. I can’t wait to see what she has for the kids in time for Christmas. I can get stuff a little bit cheaper then from her. I’ve been looking at some place for Jean Jean and my nieces. It’s easy to get for the girls. The boys are the hard ones to get presents for. They want different stuff. I have to be busy and finish up for my shopping before giving away for the poor. I have to work double time right now.
All of us here in the house are excited for our LIP drive. I hope we can give to a lot of families this year. We’ve been very successful with our drive in past years. We have to think what area we are going to give away. It’s going to be far from here in the city as always. A small village of course. It will be fun to give over to the people in the mountain since they hardly come and visit to the city. At least we can give some Noche Buena (the Filipino tradition of midnight dinner during Christmas Eve). Kids will be happy that they will have something too for Christmas. Can’t wait to see the faces and the big smiles of those people. It’s totally priceless.
Just driving around town and watching the beggars (especially the kids) breaks my heart every time. Gosh, we are just wishing that these people were not in that position they are in. Over the years we’ve been living here in Davao I’ve been seeing this same old man begging. His 2 arms were half cut off and he is blind too. He usually begs for money in the same area in the intersection near where The Venue (entertainment place) used to be here in the city. Probably some of you saw this old man before. We’ve noticed that each time we saw him he had different kids that accompany him. I’ve already heard a lot from the taxi and jeepney drivers that these beggars have bosses. The boss will get their money. With that in mind we decided that as much as possible we will give food instead of money to the beggars. If you give food at least the beggars will eat it right away. A few weeks ago I went to the downtown area to buy barbecue on sticks for our dinner. After we bought the barbecue we swung by at the gas station to have gas for our vehicle. While waiting for our vehicle to be filled, an old woman came to our car begging. I told my niece that will give the old lady barbecue pork in a sticks that we bought and some chips. Luckily we have chips in our car. You know what, the old lady was really happy that we gave her food. She’s really thankful that we gave her dinner. So we made commitment now that we will always give food instead of giving money. It’s really a good feeling to share with others and seeing that they are happy when you give.
Anyway, I hope everybody will have a good holiday season and a good year ahead.
Happy Holidays to all of you!
Mrs Feyma
Very well written. You, Bob and your family do a wonderful job in your community helping out unfortunate people. You guys should be commended for the effort you put in every year. Giving food out is rather than money, that way you know the kids will actually get something. Its a lot better to give. I tell everyone not to get me anything for christmas/birthdays, just give the money to people who really need it. Its so heartwarming to see peoples faces that you help. I’m also sending money to my g/f’s family so they can have a more enjoyable christmas. That Victoria Plaza is really beautiful. Thanks so much for the nice article.
Hi Randy W. – Thank you so much. Yes its really a great feeling seeing the little ones faces lit up getting even just a simple thing that we’re giving them. You can see on everyone’s faces the appreciation. It’s really priceless.
Good to see you here again. Have a good Christmas and New Year too!
Take care!
Hi Feyma, You know what a great idea as my wife and i do for the poor as well at times in Davao. Last year the kids set up a Buko juice stand and gave away free in the nearby Talisay and of course i had to buy all the kids ice cream cones,which turned into a 100foot line at the ice cream vendor. Love to see the smile on the kids faces. I suspect some of them had not had ice cream for a long time. I wont be home for Christmas but if you see in Ecoland matina a long line of kids on Christmas Day, stop by and say hello to my wife! God bless you and yours this Holiday season!!!
Hi Anthony Lane – Good thing going there with you and your wife. Keep it up. Sure I will swing by and say hello to your wife if ever I saw her there with the kids.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Take care!
Hi feyma well this was one thing that i was somewhat taken aback by when i visited davoa ,we do not have beggers as such well not like there anyway it was very anoying when i went for a smoke outside vic plaza and tqwo kids on bikes came up harrasing me and my future wife for money and to top it all of when we said no the cheeky little buggers called me stingy hahahaha well stingy i may be but i am no fool ,i to was told that there are organized groups of these beggers and that they can actuallly make a lot of money ,i must admit that a little girl outside one of the malls selling plastic bags made me sad ,i said to my wife why isnt she in school not here selling bags she should be getting an education and it is her parents who are to be held responsible, this may sound hard but okay i dont know her family circumstances but she should be given a chance in life and to be a child my daughter when she went home played marbles with all her old friends and didnt do to bad got all the kid next doors marbles but she did give them all back to him ,anyway as i said in bobs post i enjoy reading your posts and keep the recipes coming it is always good to know these things ,just a small thing that you posted a while ago how is the litle girl you were thinking of taking in ,it is one post that i always wonder about what happened to her i hpoe that all went well ,as i said before i wish you and your family all the best for the festive season and all the other writers and readers here on lip
merry xmas
chris
Hi chris – I know what you mean. Last week a friend and I were sitting outside McDonald and we saw few kids bugging a foreigner while eating his breakfast. The kids were asking him for money. The McDonald security guard already told the kids to get away. They will for a few minutes and come back again. Just watching these kids really makes me and my friend angry. We then sit next table to the foreigner and told the kids to get away and don’t be near to that guy again. They went away and just laughing. The guard who was a big guy chewed them away far from the establishment. They were scared then.
Just be really careful with a lot of the beggars. Some of them are aggressive and would want to take your wallet out from your pocket even if you had your hands on your wallet. It will be like a robbery really. Its scary.
I think you are talking of my niece Nicole. She’s with her mom and dad right now. She’s coming here to spend Christmas with us. She’s really excited to come. We talked to her regularly. She’s good and smart girl. We will have few nieces coming here for Christmas with us. It will be fun Christmas for our kids.
As always thank you so much for stopping by here.
Merry Christmas to you and to your family!
Take care!
Merry Christmas friend and have a blessed New Year from my family to Yours!!!!
Hi Feyma,
Best wishes to you and your family for Christmas and the rapidly approaching New Year. I look forward to the annual ” LIP ” Christmas event, best of luck with it to you, Minda-Clause and the crew ! It is nice to be able to make a donation to this and viewing the results, the smiles and expression of the faces receiving the gifts need no language translation.
Many people are using beggars to get what they wanted (attention….etc)in spite of the fact there are two main course good karma and bad karma. We need to be true to our self and look to our self if we are worth it. only God knows why
i live in the america but i was born in philippines i miss it so much 🙁