I Am A Lighthouse
(This post was originally shared with Facebook friends only.)
Whenever life's storms come our way, we have an option: We can be like a drifting raft, helplessly swaying along the will of the strong winds. Or, we can be lighthouses, standing strong against the blowing cruelties of life.
Drifting rafts are people without principles. When a challenging situation comes, they do not know where to place themselves or their principles. Thus, they change color according to the situation. That is how they survive. In the end, they lose their identity.
Lighthouses are people anchored deeply on their principles and values. When a challenging situation comes, they prefer to stay the course, and stand firm on what they believe, never compromising the fundamental principles they were brought up from the beginning.
There are times that I behave like a drifting raft, too coward to shout against the insinuations of life's cruelties. And there are times that I behave like a lighthouse, determined to fight the challenges that lie ahead.
I am at a point of my life where one of my biggest storms is ravaging the coastlines. I have an option, to be a drifting raft or to be a lighthouse.
I choose to be a lighthouse.
My decision not to stay in Candoni after Dec. 31, 2009 still stands*, but that should not stop me from doing what I do best: serve.
So I shall continue to serve in a way that I have been serving the community I have learned to love.
I have decided to continue the Buntis Baby Bag as a December Xmas Bonus for my patients.
The same guidelines remain:
For WHITE bags, which contain the ff but not limited to: diapers, loin cloths, baby clothes, multivitamin drops, canned goods and noodle-packs, will be given to mothers who will deliver in our Main health center's delivery room and who have had at least 4 prenatal visits. Mothers who delivered starting the last week of November until the last week of December are potential recipients.
For GREEN bags, which contain the ff but not limited to: infant clothes, multivitamins, toys, canned goods, noodlepacks and 1 kilo of rice, will be given to mothers who have their kids fully immunized. Children who have had their measles vaccine given during the last week of November until the last week of December are potential recipients only.
(To recall the details about the project: http://bayenn.blogspot.com/2009/10/special-project-for-mothers-and-babies.html)
Since there is no more time to lobby at the LGU for their counterpart (Free newborn screening kit, Multivitamins and 1 kilo of rice), I have decided to shell out my personal money to purchase the canned goods and 1 kilo of rice per bags. My budget though is only good for 25 White and 25 Green bags (50 bags all in all).
I am therefore calling all philanthropists, generous friends, organizations, big and small, to help me fill at least 50 bags before December.
How can you contribute?
1. Reiteration: I will not accept cash at any time. I will only accept the items mentioned.
2. An individual or organization can pledge to SPONSOR a bag (or bags). Just tell me where I can pick up your bags. You can add more items to the bags you will sponsor other than the items mentioned, provided the following should NOT be included in the bags: infant's milk, bottles, mother's milk or publications promoting a specific brand of medicine or milk.
3. An individual or organization can DONATE items mentioned. Just tell me where I can pick up the items and I will repack them accordingly.
Please be reminded that this is NOT a DOLE-OUT to the mothers and children of Candoni. This is in fact a way of rewarding good health seeking behaviors. Our objective is to encourage mothers to seek early prenatal consult and to deliver in a birthing facility and to bring their kids to be immunized.
The names of these mothers and children will be listed in a masterlist. They will be made to sign their names once they receive the bags if qualified as proof that the items were distributed. I will be posting the names of the recipients at the end of the year.
I will also be posting pictures of the recipients and the bags you have given them.
I am appealing to my generous friends. I am thankful for your support and encouraging words for the past few days. I am hoping that you can convert your support to a friend by helping me serve the poor people of Candoni. Let this also be my swan song as well, my last contribution to the community of Candoni.
I will be in Bacolod every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Please send me a message here or in my inbox so I can give you my contact details in case you wish to SPONSOR a whole bag or DONATE ITEMS. Either way, they are appreciated.
Our target: to reach 50 bags by the end of November. A few updates: I have already asked where can I buy good quality rice in Candoni. I have already contracted someone from whom I will be buying 1 sack of rice. If I am not mistaken that is around 50 kilos. Not sure though. Anyway, rice is on me. The rest, I hope will come from you.
“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” - Mother Teresa
Whenever life's storms come our way, we have an option: We can be like a drifting raft, helplessly swaying along the will of the strong winds. Or, we can be lighthouses, standing strong against the blowing cruelties of life.
Drifting rafts are people without principles. When a challenging situation comes, they do not know where to place themselves or their principles. Thus, they change color according to the situation. That is how they survive. In the end, they lose their identity.
Lighthouses are people anchored deeply on their principles and values. When a challenging situation comes, they prefer to stay the course, and stand firm on what they believe, never compromising the fundamental principles they were brought up from the beginning.
There are times that I behave like a drifting raft, too coward to shout against the insinuations of life's cruelties. And there are times that I behave like a lighthouse, determined to fight the challenges that lie ahead.
I am at a point of my life where one of my biggest storms is ravaging the coastlines. I have an option, to be a drifting raft or to be a lighthouse.
I choose to be a lighthouse.
My decision not to stay in Candoni after Dec. 31, 2009 still stands*, but that should not stop me from doing what I do best: serve.
So I shall continue to serve in a way that I have been serving the community I have learned to love.
I have decided to continue the Buntis Baby Bag as a December Xmas Bonus for my patients.
The same guidelines remain:
For WHITE bags, which contain the ff but not limited to: diapers, loin cloths, baby clothes, multivitamin drops, canned goods and noodle-packs, will be given to mothers who will deliver in our Main health center's delivery room and who have had at least 4 prenatal visits. Mothers who delivered starting the last week of November until the last week of December are potential recipients.
For GREEN bags, which contain the ff but not limited to: infant clothes, multivitamins, toys, canned goods, noodlepacks and 1 kilo of rice, will be given to mothers who have their kids fully immunized. Children who have had their measles vaccine given during the last week of November until the last week of December are potential recipients only.
(To recall the details about the project: http://bayenn.blogspot.com/2009/10/special-project-for-mothers-and-babies.html)
Since there is no more time to lobby at the LGU for their counterpart (Free newborn screening kit, Multivitamins and 1 kilo of rice), I have decided to shell out my personal money to purchase the canned goods and 1 kilo of rice per bags. My budget though is only good for 25 White and 25 Green bags (50 bags all in all).
I am therefore calling all philanthropists, generous friends, organizations, big and small, to help me fill at least 50 bags before December.
How can you contribute?
1. Reiteration: I will not accept cash at any time. I will only accept the items mentioned.
2. An individual or organization can pledge to SPONSOR a bag (or bags). Just tell me where I can pick up your bags. You can add more items to the bags you will sponsor other than the items mentioned, provided the following should NOT be included in the bags: infant's milk, bottles, mother's milk or publications promoting a specific brand of medicine or milk.
3. An individual or organization can DONATE items mentioned. Just tell me where I can pick up the items and I will repack them accordingly.
Please be reminded that this is NOT a DOLE-OUT to the mothers and children of Candoni. This is in fact a way of rewarding good health seeking behaviors. Our objective is to encourage mothers to seek early prenatal consult and to deliver in a birthing facility and to bring their kids to be immunized.
The names of these mothers and children will be listed in a masterlist. They will be made to sign their names once they receive the bags if qualified as proof that the items were distributed. I will be posting the names of the recipients at the end of the year.
I will also be posting pictures of the recipients and the bags you have given them.
I am appealing to my generous friends. I am thankful for your support and encouraging words for the past few days. I am hoping that you can convert your support to a friend by helping me serve the poor people of Candoni. Let this also be my swan song as well, my last contribution to the community of Candoni.
I will be in Bacolod every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Please send me a message here or in my inbox so I can give you my contact details in case you wish to SPONSOR a whole bag or DONATE ITEMS. Either way, they are appreciated.
Our target: to reach 50 bags by the end of November. A few updates: I have already asked where can I buy good quality rice in Candoni. I have already contracted someone from whom I will be buying 1 sack of rice. If I am not mistaken that is around 50 kilos. Not sure though. Anyway, rice is on me. The rest, I hope will come from you.
“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” - Mother Teresa
(*there were previous events that have happened during the first week of November that I feel I should not share yet with the readers of this blog as of the moment)
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