CPG photo

The Calvary Home Christmas presentation*

Christmas is the time to love.

That was the message that reverberated from the angelic voices of more than 100 children who sang their hearts out at the Calvary Chapel in Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City, yesterday morning.

The children are among the 165 residents of the Calvary Chapel Home ran by Pastor Joe Rosmarino and his wife, Billie, for orphaned, abused and disabled children.

The children, with  smiles on their faces, sang, danced and played musical instruments as they told the story of Christ birth a long time ago in Bethlehem and of his love, before residents of barangays 40, Felisa and Handumanan, and friends of the home, yesterday morning.

In the afternoon they also shared their message of love at the barangay hall before residents of Handumanan.

Their Nanay Billie said that, while the children at the home get gifts under the tree on Christmas day, they don’t want them to lose sight of the fact that Christmas is about Jesus and His love.

She recalled how, as a child, her father would tell her that counting one’s blessings was not about the houses, cars or land one owned, the most important blessing to him was having her.

“We want our children at the home to know, too, that nothing to us is more important than them and that they are loved,” she said.

Through the years the home has taken care of about 400 children, some of whom have become nurses, teachers and social workers now working in the Philippines and abroad.

“While this home is doing so many wonderful miracles for these children and is filled with so much love and joy, we cannot close our eyes to the reality of its day-to-day desperate needs,” Anna Balcells, president of Kalipay Negrense Foundation, said.

Many times the Rosmarinos do not know if they will have enough to make it until the end of the month with so many children to feed and care for, she said.

“If we only could get more people to commit even just a small amount every month for the home, it is amazing how far it will go in making a difference for so many children,” she said.

“My prayer, especially this Christmas, is that more people will commit to helping the home not just one time, but in a more permanent way,” Balcells added.

Those interested in helping may contact Balcells at 09173003595 or send an email to kalipaynegrensefoundation@yahoo.com.*CPG

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