For its Christmas outreach project, Victoria in Lege adopts the Love in a Shoebox project. The project aims to spread Christmas cheer, spirit, and love to the Aeta children of Zambales. It is a gift-giving project that began in 2008, and was founded by Sis Praise Ladringan who hails from Zambales.
Here’s a description of the project from the words of Sis Praise:
Amidst a world of so many heartaches, there are still stories and people that give us that quiet assurance that love exists. I would have to dare say: The Love In A Shoebox Project is one of them. Indeed, every person that has given a shoebox or two to this project is a proof of the reality of love and its capacity to reach places and touch lives. As I met each of the givers, I see love. Each person, each of you, as you took the time and effort to give a piece of yourself through each shoebox you handed to me, has become a solid representation of love.
The past 4 years of the Love In A Shoebox Project has totally been a blast! Since it started, whenever the Christmas season starts to make its presence felt it in the air, I feel this certain excitement and glee. Not really because of the jolly Christmas songs or display or the fact that Christmas vacation is coming, but mainly because it’s Shoebox time again. When the Shoebox time starts, I see inspired persons and changed lives. Beyond the small, unassuming shoebox, I see smiles, I hear giggles and shrieks of delight, and I feel love. The Love In A Shoebox Project has become a source of God’s love, hope, and blessings, not just to the kids but even to the givers. It is so exciting to know that after all the shoeboxes was distributed to the children, our lives and the world are never the same again.
Because of this and many more lovely reasons, the Love In A Shoebox Project has to carry on. So as I always say, what do we do if we do something good? Of course, we do it again! Year 4 of the project will be as memorable and fruitful, if not more, as the past years.
The project is open to EVERYONE. What do you have to do to help us with this project?
1. Choose an Aeta child to give to from Praisee’s list. (Girls list; Boys list)
This is not just another gift-giving initiative. What sets it apart from the others is that it is very personal in nature. You see, you do not just give. What makes this personal is that you get to personally choose a specific Aeta child to give a gift in a shoebox to. I have a list of their names and their photos you can check out and choose from.
I encourage you to choose a child that somehow appeals to you – a child that just by reading his/her name or looking at his/her photo, calls to your heart. Then who knows, this is just the start of a life-long friendship. I encourage you to also pray for the child you will choose.
2. Find a shoebox and wrap it up nicely. Then, fill it. 🙂
All you have to do is fill it up with goodies you believe the child will enjoy. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. These are simple children with simple hearts and simple joys. But I would like to ask you to please put yourself in the shoes of the child you chose and think of what you yourself, as a person, would like to get. Make that the basic platform in helping you decide what to get the child.
In case you’re not sure of what to give:
For girls, I suggest: food, sweets, personal effects (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste), school supplies, kikay stuff (you know, the things girls love), clothes, toys
For boys, I suggest:, food, sweets, personal effects (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste), school supplies, clothes, toys
3. Return the filled shoebox to me on or before DECEMBER 10, 2013.
The Aeta Children’s Home kids’ Christmas Party is on December 15 (tentative date) and since I have to collect the gifts from practically all over, I need sufficient time to do so and return ‘em all to the Children’s Home is Zambales in time for their Christmas event.
So please, the sooner, the better.
My goal this year is to collect more or less 700 shoebox gifts. But I cannot do this on my own. Let’s join hands and together, let’s be God’s instruments of blessings to the Aeta children.
Through this project, I have come to learn that love is not just a feeling, or a belief, it is much more than that…it is a work that we do from the heart…faith working through love – faith and works.
Bless them and be blessed!
For more information about the project, you may visit their official Facebook page. You may also contact any Victorian in Ateneo Law School if you want to help us with the project.
Victoria In Lege 