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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Another Way to Celebrate Chinese New Year

January 23, 2012 was declared a non-working holiday here in the Philippines to celebrate Chinese New Year.  My husband and I, together with 3 friends have agreed to go do some shopping at Divisoria that day.  We left AIIAS at 7.30 a.m and arrived at around 9 o'clock by managing to ask several persons how to get to that place and by being able to park our car. 

The malls are just opposite the parking area.  We went straight to 168 mall to do personal necessities (quite relieving to have done those).  After that we went to another mall to seek for the stuff we intended to purchase.  My friend told us that they will just be in that mall with her husband and another friend.  So, I and my hubby decided to go back to 168 mall.  The place is cooler.  Went around and around the place looking at all the cheap stuffs but only bought quite a few for our 4 children.  After awhile, we felt hungry, so we went straight to the 4th floor to find a place to eat.  We ordered food from Chowking.  While eating some dragon dancers came around the eating place to entertain the people.  They stayed quite long, food stall personnel gave the boys food and drinks.  After eating, we thought of staying for awhile take some nap and wait for our friends' text about their progress.  Since, our food is finished and have thought of giving the place to the other customers, we decided to leave the place.  Sensing that our friends have not texted us yet, my hubby and I thought of just sitting outside the mall.

Outside the mall, at the stairways, I spotted these two children. The boy is about 8 years old and his younger sister is more than a year.  But they looked malnourished and dirty.  The baby was crying maybe because she's hungry.  The brother's slippers were too small for him, only half of his feet could contain.  We sat beside them,gave them some coins, gave some newspaper sheets for the baby to sleep on, told the brother to buy for your sibling food to eat or drink.  When the baby drank a little amount she fell asleep.  The brother was holding her and was begging for alms.  There were kindhearted customers that day, cause we were just observing the orphans.  Some men gave them 20 peso bill.  Since the children didn't have anything to put their money, the brother was so clever enough.  He bit part of the hem of his shirt until he can slip the rolled 20 peso bill into it.  Then another passersby came, saw their situation---even heard them say--"kawawa naman" (so pitiful).  They stopped, took out some coins and bills from their purse and handed down the money to the boy.

Looking at the scenario, my hubby and I for sure have gleaned some thoughts.  We totally forgot that we didn't  have that much amount of  money going there, in fact, we just rode with our friends' car without paying anything for our fare and never bought for ourselves.  I said to myself, I need not be fretful of what I don't have rather,  to count my blessings every moment of the day and thank God for all of them.

The air we breathe, food, clothing, shelter, water, air, sunshine, plants, the complete faculties of our body, our good working brains, our families--parents, siblings, children, our work---collegues, friends, and many others are things we are to be grateful for our Maker and our King---- THANK YOU GOD for the beautiful world, for everything.

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