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| Teddy bears don't need hearts. They are already stuffed with LOVE. |
Much has been said and witnessed about the victims of the recent calamity that left a huge devastating effect to the country, most of them were in the point of view of adults. But how about the children?
A few days after my volunteering stint in Ateneo, I chanced upon Mommy Fleur's entry about the 1000 Bearhugs Project.
From their website:
Play is a child's natural language and a means for them to make sense of their experiences. Trauma can be addressed through the experiential narratives of play therapy and allows a child to speak of what he or she has gone through when they cannot find the words to do so. These toys provide children with a certain amount of security in a sometimes-scary world.
Just like volunteering in Ateneo, I did not think twice about participating in this endeavor. Each of us had gone through that phase in our own childhood where we got attached to our "favorite toy". When I was a kid, it was a Mickey Mouse stuff toy from Singapore that became my bedtime companion for so many years. Mama herself was an advocate of these type campaigns too. And it made me realize, I had been that lucky to be blessed with a simple yet conflict-free childhood and letting another child have the same thing even through this little endeavor, would be the best possible way to give back.
I phoned Mama immediately hoping to get a toy or two from what she had kept from my plush toys but she said she had mostly given those years before. I decided to make a trip to Toy Kingdom after work and purchased these two cuddly bears. Thankfully, the Babyland branch at Eastwood Mall was among the drop off points I was able to send them off the following day.
While I don't have kids of my own yet, shopping for toys to be given away to a good cause gave me this elation deep inside. I believe it's a kind of inner happiness one tends to feel upon doing something worthwhile. And if you wish to join the cause, they are accepting bear (or any plush toys suitable for kids 3-12 years old) until December 8.
1 comments
Thanks for the heartwarming thoughts shared about 1000 Bearhugs! Indeed, the campaign is all about children helping children displaced by conflict and big natural disasters. We hope through this initiative, we put the spotlight on children - and we hope disaster preparedness and mitigation will all be child-focused.
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by and taking a peak on my thoughts. This page is for your comments.