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By: Sister Bernardine Juarez, O.Carm., Congregation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Giving gifts at Christmas is not a new idea, unless you are a poor and marginalized person who strives only to survive each day. Gift-giving at Christmas at Quezon City in the Philippines started when the Congregation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel assigned me as Development Coordinator. It seemed just the right responsibility for a person like me. Having just retired after 24 years in hospital work at the Philippine Heart Center, I now get to touch the hearts of even more people, bringing smiles rather than surgery and joy rather than the hope of recovery.
In the Philippines our vision is to be in solidarity with the materially poor, the oppressed and the marginalized. Although there are only a few of us sisters here, we are involved in socio-pastoral and basic health care ministries in the barrios and squatters areas. We are concerned both with the formal and informal education of the youth, their mothers and possibly the whole family. Our hope is to lead them towards decent and productive lives amidst an environment of debilitating poverty and a violent society.
To sustain us in our ministries, we need to be in partnership with those who have more in life to promote the church of the poor. Hence, the Development Office is set up to generate funds to help those who have less in life and to bring Christ’s love to our varied ministries. My work as Development Coordinator is to write letters to friends and relatives and mission partners asking them to share their blessings with us. We reach out to the needy and other people that God has given us to serve through our ministries. I believe God uses us as channels of His generous blessings. We are all God’s instruments to bring His graces to the needy. The Sisters of Mount Carmel are just conduits of God’s blessings to be shared with those in need. Solicitation letters are sent out twice a year, on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16, and on Christmas, December 25. Our regular beneficiaries are the preschool children of the Mount Carmel Learning Center, an outreach in the squatter’s area.
During the Christmas Season children from neighboring squatter’s areas sing carols to different houses. Writing to large corporations, we ask for samples of their products or anything in kind that could be shared with the poor children at Christmas. Several companies give cases of milk and fruit juices. Starting in 2004 our neighbors were invited to donate anything in kind to augment the items solicited. Some of our neighbors not only have shared some goods but also assisted the Sisters in the gift-giving.
Last December 25, the gifts were rice, noodles, milk, shampoos, medicines, vitamins, bread, biscuits, soft drinks and candies. The Sisters and a group of ladies from the neighborhood assisted in packaging and distributing the gifts. They made our work so much easier. Between 750-800 people, mostly children and mothers, anxiously waited in front of the convent. The gift-giving started with a prayer and a little catechism about Christmas. Then the children were invited to pay homage to the creche in our chapel.
Everyone was happy and very grateful to receive a bag of goodies. The children eagerly welcomed the little merienda (snacks) of biscuits, juice and candies. Unfortunately more people came than we had gifts to give. Perhaps next year we will be able to increase the number of bags.
Reflecting on the activities, I am reminded of what the Lord Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew said, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters you do it to Me…” (Mt. 25:40)
Editor’s Note: Those interested in helping Sister Bernardine Juarez, O.Carm., and the Congregation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Philippines can send donations to: Congregation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 6 Carmel Street, Fairview Park, Quezon City 1118, Philippines.
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