A Ripple of Kindness for Christmas Eve
Bringing the spirit of Christmas to the people who need them the most…
In the Philippines, Christians and nonChristians await Christmas with anticipation and joy. In rich or poor Filipino households, families excitedly prepare the Christmas Eve meal or the Noche Buena. However, the dire economic situation in the country is making it difficult for many families to prepare this traditional meal. During these tough times many Filipinos go to bed hungry.
Lumen, in tandem with its kindhearted donors, wanted to make a difference , at least on some families on Christmas eve. With limited resources pooled together, it hoped to bring joy and cheer. It can share whatever it has gathered so others who struggle with hunger can gather around with their loved ones to have a nice Noche Buena
The Noche Buena Bag
The Noche Buena Bag contained the basic spaghetti pack of pasta, sauce and cheese. It had a large loaf of bread, three kilos of rice, beverages in sachets of three-inone coffee and Milo chocolate drink. Oishi chips and biscuits were included for the kids. Loot bags of vitamins from Unilab were also included in the bag. A total of 222 Noche Buena bags were prepared.
On December 23, 2022, a day before Christmas eve, Lumen went around to different areas of the city to bring cheer and goodwill.
These compact urban poor areas and/or sectoral groups were identified based on their socio-economic situation and contact in the area. The community suggested was the Badjao families living in a pocket area in Barangay Macabalan. The sectoral groups chosen were the trisikad drivers in Barangays Consolacion and Bayabas and one pocket area in Villa Ernesto Subdivision in Barangay Gusa; the ambulant garbage pickers and Kwaredors (sand quarry workers) along the riverbank of Barangay Consolacion, and the flower vendors beside the Jesus Nazareno Church.
Our deepest gratitude to all our donors. Lumen wouldn’t be able to do this without your generosity and support.
