More Than Just Gift Giving
“More than the material gifts they gave, what’s more important is the time they spent with us here in Samaritan’s Place. They could have spent it with their families but they chose to give their time to us. They may have their own personal concerns but instead of taking time to attend to them, they chose to spend time with us.”
These were the comments made by an SP orphan ward named Francis, 16 years old, when asked about his experience with First Baptist Church Mission Team (FBC) who visited Samaritan’s Place last November 28 to December 6, 2015.
The eight-day visit of the FBC Team led by Mrs. Tanya Mazzoloni left extra-ordinary footprints not only in the hearts Samaritan’s Place (SP) children and staff, but also in the lives of the children and families of Biluso, Silang, Cavite. (Biluso is the community Samaritan’s Place is doing community organizing and outreach). Other members of the team included Dr. Michael Mazzolini, Wes and Becky Callahan, Dr. David and Becky Chaffin, Sharon Moore, Sarah Smith, Mallory Fox and Alex Duckett.
Twenty-five (25) families from Biluso were given Christmas gift bags by the FBC Team. As the team visited homes and distributed bags, each family were prayed for and reminded about the invitation for their children to attend SP’s Christmas Party for Kidz Klub participants. Later in the day, then, one hundred–twenty (120) children were treated to activities like arts and crafts, games, feeding and gift-giving.
Special illusion tricks were performed by Alex Duckett for the children, ones that imparted moral life lessons with them. For the finale, Wes Callahan and Sarah Smith came out dressed up as Santa Claus and his Elf to add fun and joy to the children.
FBC conducted a Community Health Seminar attended by forty-five (45) mothers. During the seminar, other team members played with children and shared a Christmas story telling. Following the seminar, team members made courtesy visits to the community clinic, hospital and school that provide services for SP’s staff and children.
“Service was the heart of FBC team,” shares SP President Marilen Morris. The team substituted in taking care of the SP children while the SP’s management sponsored an outing for the staff to a coffee shop. Nightly dinners for the SP family became special as FBC prepared sumptuous meals for everyone. On the last day, the SP children also got to enjoy an in-house “Inside Out” movie time together with the team.
“They showed sincere concern not only for SP children, but also for staff families. I will not forget the gesture of one FBC team member who personally talked with our biological son, telling him that she appreciated how he was able to share us, his parents, with the orphan SP children, ” stated Genalyn Cahatian, an SP house mom.
During the gift-giving night, Tanya Mazzaloni lovingly presented a significant story about the true gift of Christmas. It is not about the material things we receive, but it is all about Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior who came into our world to bring light, salvation and forgiveness.
That’s why Santa Wes Callahan and Elf Sarah Smith made such an impact during their walk thru appearances at the local malls. They made sure the hundreds of people who took pictures with Santa knew that the spirit and joy of Christmas comes from Jesus, not from Santa. As team leader Tanya Mazzolini shared, “ Even Santa has to bow at the manger!”
More than just gift-giving, SP appreciated the FBC Christmas mission team for sharing their hearts and becoming faithful partners…true Friends of Samaritan’s Place (FSP) in the ministry of caring for the children.
By Ihrilyn Pendatun, MSW
SP Community Coordinator and Accountant
