The Helping Hams Project

3.05.2007

Helping Hams

Photo credit: Sidney Snoeck


I was always amazed that very young children from Botokan could walk around without their parents and not get lost.
These were toddlers, babies even-- darting across the streets in tattered clothes, half naked.
I lived not far away from these shanties that were without electricity or running water.


The other day, a comment was left on a previous post:

"we must recognize that the world is filled with both joy and sadness; that we must never forget that there is joy and sadness; and that we must try to live in joy without ever forgetting or denigrating the sadness which pervades our world.
I don't want to ignore the world's sadness. I don't want to lose sight of what is in front of my nose. I want to be joyful even as I am sad. I want to see the world as it is."~Glenn


I agree.
And I want to do something about it.
This is what the "Helping Hams" project is all about.
The plan is to be able to distribute as many hams as possible to the families in the Botokan area this coming December 2007.
Why hams? It is special filipino Christmas fare tradition and it does not need refrigeration.

As of today, Steve and I have set aside money to buy 100 hams.
100 hams for 100 families.
But we have 10 more months to make more.
You can help.
If you are interested in donating money,
please email me at chescasilva@gmail.com
We know that it is not going to end poverty but a little bit of ham might make a child's christmas just a little bit more special.
That is the hope anyway.

5.20.2007

An Update

"No Gifts Please. But if you would like to, please donate $5.00 for our Helping Hams project."

This is what my daughter K suggested to guests coming for her first communion.
In total she raised $180.00 more dollars. (MIL and DeeAnne's (steve's sis) checks have not yet been deposited.)

Also thank you to Becky's mom and the Burgins, for the checks you sent immediately after this project was launched.
As you may have noticed, they have not been deposited yet either.

Thank you to those that have pledged.

Thank you to Butrfly Garden and Anito Kid for helping by giving exposure to this project.

A Round Tuit

Jerome: Hello?
Me: Jerome...Hi this is Chesca.
Jerome: Whooo?
Me: Chesca. Silva.
(dead silence...me thinking...oh sh**...maybe he does not remember me)
Jerome: From U.P.??? (University of the Philippines)
Me: Yes!!!
Jerome: Chesca, it is nice to hear from you after 20 years...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I finally called an old friend of mine (some friend, I am).
He lives in Manila.
His family owns CDO, the meat processing factory.
I told him about Helping Hams (our project this Christmas to distribute Hams to families of street children)
I asked him if he could:
1. supply the hams at a hefty discount, so as to be able to reach more families.
2. donate free hams, so as to be able to reach more families.
He agreed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank You To all those that gave Kika money for this project--
also to:
Becky & Kelley
Dr. Hnilica,
Steve's Parents
Jim & DeeAnne,
Tim & Sharyn,
Steve & Charissa,
Dad & Mom,
The Anito Kid,
Joe & Kay
Ted & Gigi
Ayo & Raff
Mary Anne Magbag and Rommel
Myrna Co (Annamanila)
...Thanks for your help.
Anyone else that wants to send money, there is still time!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank You to Cathy Babao and any other Manila based bloggers that want to help us distribute the hams. (leave me your email address to get the details)
Thank you to Rosar & Karen and the Fireflies for the manpower.
Thank you Chari, you know you're involved, whether you like it or not.
And Thank you Jerome Ong for your generosity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With that phone call to Jerome,
I finally got a 'round tuit'.