By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children
I AM PERSONALLY appealing to people who are financially able to help on behalf of my children – the Tembari kids.
Christmas is fast-approaching; the holiday season, however, would mean nothing to them. Blame this on their poverty.
In fact, each and every one of our 98 beneficiary children could only survive everyday because of the food and the special care they receive from The Center.
Otherwise, life for them would be miserable, always in the fang of persistent hunger. And outside the premises of The Center, hunger is everywhere.
And the poverty of the Tembari kids makes Christmas irrelevant.
Help me put meaning to the Birth of Jesus on the lives of these unfortunate children because right now, Christmas would just remain a flat, colorless word to them – materially and spiritually.
So, this coming Yuletide season, make it a bit hopeful, joyful and meaningful for them, at least on the material side of things.
Play an invisible Big Santa to them.
Send something that would make them happy – candies, chocolates, foodstuff, toys, clothes, or anything that you think would help them better their everyday life.
Did you see the smiles of your own kids when you gave them their presents last Christmas?
You can have the pleasure of imagining the same when the Tembari children receive your goodwill.
I’m pretty sure coughing up a few kina for Christmas stuffs wouldn’t necessarily make you poor.
If you have some idea about how to cheer up these kids, don’t hesitate to let me know.
I would be more than happy to coordinate and plan with you. My contacts are 324-6712 (office landline at The National newspaper, Editorial Department) and 72231984 (my cell phone number). Or my email addresses at the end of this blog.
My plan is to prepare a plastic bag of goodies (or hamper if you wish) for each of the Tembari children, which we would like to distribute on Saturday, December 18, during my special cooking gig at The Center.
(I wish, I could take their pictures with the goodies! And show them to you…)
This would be a big day for them, I’m pretty sure of this, having experienced the same during my younger days at out school’s Christmas party.
Help me make this a Christmas party for them on December 18, a Saturday, where they could sing carols while clutching in their hands a bag of goodies that you have sent.
It won’t cost you a lot to be a part of this special occasion. But the dividends would be tenfold because the 98 Tembari children will feel you are all Heaven-sent.
Contented children – the privileged ones like yours -- never think this way.
Of course, your other best option this Christmas is to ignore – totally ignore -- and imagine you’re not part of humanity that is about to honor the Holy Infant Jesus.
But to all of you, anyway, Merry Christmas!
Email the writer: alfredophernandez@thenational.com.pg
jarahdz500@online.net.pg
freddiephernandez@yahoo.com.pg
THE Tembari Children's Care (TCC) Inc is a day care facility at ATS Oro Settlement, 7-Mile, outside of Port Moresby, PNG. To date, it takes care of more than 200 former street children - orphans, abandoned and the unfortunate - by serving them meals twice a day, and providing them early education. Assistance - food and money - is sent by supporters who find merit in the services we provide to these children. At The Center, they are family. For all of these, we need support that is sustainable.
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