The Return of "Magic Works"!

by **yvaine** 2009-07-15, 11:14

For those who are new to Hogwarts Philippines, we're not just about the fierce battle for House Points or costumes or movies or media appearance; sometimes PHP embarks on charity work too. These activities are called "Magic Works" - inspired by the song from the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire film, but also because we are trying to put the magic of love and generosity to work, and to show our less fortunate fellow Filipinos that indeed, magic does work. Wink

Our new Magic Works project comes to us as a request from HM Cherie. She has taken the time out to help a children's village in Lipa, Batangas and she wants to know if PHP can help too. Here's the backgrounder from HMC:

there are only two orphanages in lipa city.... one is SOS Philippines and the other is with the Mother Ciarra Buonarotti Convent. SOS village, though, is technically not an orphanage because they actually create foster homes for the orphaned, abandoned, and neglected children - they create homes and families. although they are funded, they of course do not have the luxury of buying more than what is "needed." so, it would really be nice if we can give these kids a little more. to see just how adorable the kids are, you can view my birthday album - HERE.

they were sooooooooo happy to see the box full of old toys. =)

the director told me that they could use more old clothes and toiletries. but since there are quite a lot of kids there (10 years old and below), old toys would be a great donation as well.

i hope phpers can spare some old clothing, old toys, and toiletries. yung three orphans from the convent, i think some nice girly clothes would be good (they go to the private school kasi which is also owned by the same congregation. libre na sila dun. naka-uniform naman pero shempre im sure there will be times na they have to wear casual.) stuffed toys seemed to hit it with these angels. age nila is from 8 to 12 years. tatlo lang sila. : )

the official website of the children's village is www.sosphilippines.org.

Right now, we're not yet sure how to facilitate the donation of the clothes and toys. We will post about this again. However, you can also donate some cash, and HMC will take care of buying the toiletries for the kids.

If you're interested to donate (any small amount of money you can spare can go a long way), you can drop by the PHP booth at the Warner Roadshow event in SM Megamall on July 17th-19th and course your donation through a Faculty member or Student Leader. If you can't make it to any of the events this weekend and are still interested to donate, please send a PM to an Administrator or post here.

We are targetting to deliver the items to the kids during the PHP Southern Luzon Tour Batangas Leg on July 26th.

Here's hoping we can all make some magic for these kids. Smile

by **HM_C** 2009-07-16, 16:51

Just got an owl from the village director and he shared with me this speech given by Cardinal Rosales in the recently concluded 60th anniversary of S.O.S. =) I hope this inspires more PHPers to help out in this particular Magic Works =)

Speech of Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila/Philippines
19 June 2009

Before I knew about SOS Children's Villages, I could not believe that orphaned children - neglected or abandoned - can be raised in a consistently balanced family. I always associated care for the neglected with charity and adoption institutions. I was completely mistaken, until 42 years ago, in 1967, when the first SOS Children's Village in the Philippines was established in the Archdiocese in Lipa, and in a place where later I was the Parish Priest.

It was there in Lipa where I first met a young man, the preferred "favourite" of the beloved founder, Hermann Gmeiner, who, from Vietnam, made a first visit to Lipa. That young man then is no other than Mr Helmut Kutin, currently the President of SOS Children's Villages International.

In the village which I initially visited weekly, and then later monthly, I became acquainted with the SOS village, house, mothers, aunties and the children. I knew every child by name, and remembered the kind of candies they liked. As their joy was evident, it did not take long for me to share even their problems at the suggestion of the village director. Sometimes their frustration became my own frustration. There was even a time when my own parishioners accused me of spending more time at the village and preferring SOS children to the youth of my parish.

There too at the SOS Children's Village, I learned of the wisdom that guided the founder, Hermann Gmeiner, that the family is not made only of and strengthened by blood bonding, but is constituted by a lasting personal love relationship that inspires respect, kindness and trust among family members. The founder believes that kindness is a language everyone understands and appreciates, beginning from infancy and childhood. When proven by consistent behaviour, the adolescent brings kindness with them to maturity and adulthood.

But the genius in the SOS Children's Village philosophy is to place kindness, respect and trust, as it were nestling, in the "house mother", at many times assisted by "an auntie", in order that through and from them the children imbibe the rest of the virtues.

Those children that I had befriended and loved 42 years ago are still my friends. Some are already with their own families. But they visit SOS Children's Village regularly and bring little gifts now to their now old and fragile "mamas".

Like in the old wisdom that Hermann Gmeiner believed in, "that kindness can be fostered and learned", the SOS grown adults have matured and learned the great lesson in life, that with the guidance and help of a loving God they knew in Jesus, the Lord, they cannot repay kindness to anyone, they can only pass it on. And they do!

Thank you. And God bless you all!

SOURCE: https://tpa.sos-kd.org

by miss a.m. 2009-07-16, 22:43

Yes, I'm supporting this worthy endeavor. Smile

by chibiran 2009-07-19, 20:23

with regards sa "Magic Works" i think most of us or ALL of us can contribute to this how? Coz i've seen TV ads regarding the Bantay Bata Cans (ung can na parang alkansya na dun mo ihuhulog ung mga extra barya mo para makatulong sa mga bata), or ung Text PASIG (to help restore the Ilog Pasig)...actually kung wala man request in our own little special ways we can contribute to this "Magic Works"

sorry for using names bawal po ata ang advertisement, if this is one kind of it...

by **DADAProfAE** 2009-07-20, 00:10

BTW, Ana and John gave me their moolah contribution for MW this afternoon. Kanino ko ito dapat i turnover?

Thanks Ana & John!!! Twas nice seeing you both kanina. Smile

by **yvaine** 2009-07-20, 10:58

DADS, hold on to it muna. Ipapadala natin dapat via the Batangas Team. If di na tayo makapagmeet before umalis ang Batangas Team, we'll wire it to HMC.

Like a Star @ heaven

by **Tazana_Gryffin** 2009-07-20, 17:00

Your welcome. Hope it helps. It was nice to see you too Dadaf!!! I love you

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