Celebrating Christmas with 220 less fortunate children

BANGKAL, DAVAO CITY — 200 Years ago Fr. Andre Coindre, Founder of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, brought 2 poor orphans to St. Claudine Thevenet, Foundress of the Religious of Jesus and Mary (RJM), in Lyon, France to guide those little ones’ dreams and to weave a better future for them. That was the beginning of the foundation of our Congregation of RJM. God who guides the history invites us today to allow ourselves to be moved by the miseries of our time like St. Claudine Thevenet and Fr. Andre Coindre. It was providential that after 200 years on December 22, 2018, the Sacred Heart Brothers brought 200 Street children from the City to our Jesus and Mary Thevenet School Gym in Bangkal, Davao City, to share the blessing & celebrate the Christmas with those less fortunate children.

We, the Religious of Jesus and Mary Sisters (RJM-1818-2018) celebrate the bicentennial of our foundation in 2018. Being the closing of our bicentenary year we had planned to celebrate our Christmas with the street children, so it was auspicious that we joined our Brothers of the Sacred Heart (SC-1821-2021), who are opening their bicentennial of their foundation in 2021, in their mission-MOSES project (Mobile Operation for the Street Children Education Services).

Total number of children were 220 aged 2-16 years. They were brought by the brothers and volunteers from Digos City, Bangkerohan, and Tibungko. Games were conducted for the children. The program began with a prayer at 8.30 a.m at Jesus and Mary Thevenet School Gym, Bangkal. The children also presented few dance items. Few AFJM members also assisted the kids as volunteers.

Our JMTS students collected many toiletry items and slippers to donate to the street children. Our JMTS parents, SDV Sisters from Fr. Justin School, Catalunen Grande, their students & parents also donated the gifts for the children. The parents from Justin school helped the Brothers to prepare food for the children. We donated slippers, toys, toiletries, milk powder, tin food, clothes etc. The Sacred Heart Brothers donated towels, slippers and clothes for the children. They also sponsored the meals for children and the volunteers for the whole day.

Brothers of the Sacred Heart & Cor Jesu college Digos and RJM sisters & JMTS Bangkal, joined hands together to bring a smile on the lonely faces of those less fortunate children who have still more dreams to fulfill. We are also grateful to all the donors & volunteers. The children enjoyed the day. It was a whole day program. The joy on the face of these less fortunate children made us happy and contended, with the determination to take up and continue the challenge to serve the children as the concrete expression of our Charism. We are grateful to the OLLP Bangkal PPC members and many others who donated for the poor children. God bless you all. (Sr. Mercy Abraham, RJM Bangkal)