Hello Everyone,
Christmas is a time of giving, and on behalf of The Bohol Island Project we thank you all for the opportunity to share your gifts; not just this time of year, but all through the year to people deserving of a helping hand.
Your generosity matters and is truly appreciated.
Wishing you all and your families peace & good health, and a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year.
Ruben
PROJECTS UPDATE:
We started building another house last week. A family HOME for Christmas !!! As gifts go, this one's pretty hard to beat. Their gratitude will last a lifetime.
OPTIONAL READING !
This story is on our website but I love the story and considering it's Christmas, you might find the time and be patient enough to bear with me and my writing. So here goes ... THE STARFISH STORY.
While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.
He came closer still and called out, "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing? The young man paused, looked up and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
The old man smiled , and said, "I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" To this the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, "But young man, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely . Then he bent down , picked up another starfish, threw it back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."
adapted from 'The Star Thrower', by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977)
The above story pretty much sums up what we are all about. We don't have dreams of changing the world, but if we can make a small part of it a better place for a fellow human being with the same dreams, hopes, struggles and fears just like ourselves, then we have done well.
Thanks again and on this sombre note (sorry) enjoy your holidays !!!
Ruben