President's Message
Christmas is here!
Christmas is here! The Christmas spirit is very much alive in each one of us. It means spending time with your loved ones, your family, and friends. In the Filipino tradition, it reminds us of the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve, December 24th, celebrating it at the Midnight Mass or Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo. Following the mass is the Noche Buena feast where there is an array of snacks to eat such as the puto, bibingka, tsokolate, salabat, pan de sal, queso de bola, hamon,etc. Families open their gifts at this time. On Christmas Day, December 25th, families get together and godchildren visit their godparents for more gifts (aguinaldos). Christmas caroling continues up to Epiphany (Feast of the Black Santo Nino) in January. As a Catholic, I grew up in this tradition.
However Christmas is celebrated, it is a time of merriment, prayer and blessings.
But not everyone is celebrating Christmas. As you all may have already known, our kababayans on the other side of the world are suffering with the devastation caused by Typhoon Sendong on December 16 and 17. The cities of Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro and Iligan are the most hit areas. Today's news report revealed the death toll has risen to 927. Christmas is given a new face in those who fervently pray for the families who vanished and those who are in pain and suffering because of the tragedy.
Let's extend the sharing of the love of Christmas by uniting behind President Ben Malayang's appeal for aid for the relief efforts spearheaded by the Silliman University Church.
To accomplish this undertaking, SUACONA chairman, Gideon (Kuya Box) is requesting that all members (including SUAF@SD) channel their donations through SUACONA to ensure the victims ultimately receive the aid.
This may be a poignant Christmas to some of us. Nevertheless, I wish you all a Blessed Christmas.
Sincerely,
Laarni Catague Gularek
President, SUAF@SD