By Yvonne Belen
December is a busy month for Filipino Christians all over the world. It is a time to celebrate the coming and birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrations come in various forms and Christmas parties are one of them. And so it is with our MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands that celebrated its Christmas party at the social hall of Dorpskerk in Leusden-zuid, The Netherlands on 9 December 2017.
Renijune Abaya, Vice-Chairperson of MABIKAs Foundation and overall coordinator of this event delivered her opening remarks to kickstart the 7-hour celebration of Christmas and the vibrant culture of the indigenous people from the Philippine Cordillera region.
With our vibrant costumes and accessories, we Igorot Cordillera ladies danced to the rhythm of the gongs. Many in the audience joined us and enjoyed dancing. We had cultural presentations performed for each Cordillera province. Our children and second-generation also had their share of the program as they joined the parlor games. We in the audience could hear the children laughing and shrieking.
Christmas parties are only complete with a message and we listened to MABIKAs Chairperson Myra Colis as she delivered a talk on love and giving powered by acceptance and forgiveness. She closed her Christmas message with 3 key takeaways in terms of love and giving, and in relation to the what and the why of MABIKAs Foundation.
“As we all reflect on the real essence of what we are doing now, let me close my message with 3 practical points: Point #1. It is easy to mock and criticize something you don’t understand… so (better) seek first to understand, then to be understood. Point #2. You can’t give what you don’t have… and to be able to give, we need to forgive… Point #3. Sometimes in life, all there is to truly enjoy an exceptionally free and joyous life is LOVE,” says Colis in her talk. (See full transcript of MABIKAs Christmas message)
Food is always a part of Filipino parties, more so with Christmas-related events. Jean van der Peut and Lorita Bocarile of Stichting Bocarile, took care of the food catering. Other MABIKAs members donated cakes, which were served as snacks.
Aside from the presentations, games and food, we sometimes ask ourselves: “What do we take away from these Christmas celebrations?” For many, we would say it is connection— with relatives and friends from far and near.
From afar, we had the Tallayo sisters of Germany and members of the Cordillera Community in Belgium (Cordi-Bel). Aside from joining the festivities, the Cordi-Bel ladies presented a song and a dance number. Nearer home, we connected with the Philippine martial arts group in Breda, who came and performed eskrima. They thrilled the crowd with their long poles fighting each other “playfully.” We also had Diana Oosterbeek-Latoza, founding chairperson of Stichting Bayanihan, the Philippine Women’s Center in the Netherlands. We saw her enjoying our dances to the rhythm of the gongs. We also connected with forwarding corporations, LVM and Del Rosario forwarders, who donated the major prizes for the raffle draws.
All in all, we Igorot Cordillerans in the Netherlands were happy during the Christmas party. We enjoyed the activity and will remember our Christmas celebration with gifts, food and connections.
To close the program and call it a day, MABIKAs Secretary Rachel de Weerd delivered her words of thanks (see below) on behalf of the organizing team of this year’s Christmas party.
Our Christmas party would have been impossible without you fellow MABIKAs constituents, our generous sponsors, committed volunteers and enthusiatic guests and friends…
Thanks a LOT to our performers: singers Mercedes & Charles, Ronnah & Raymond, and composer & artist Tizya, dancers Luniza, Yvonne, Beth, Christine, Romelita, Janet, manong Cesar and myself. Joy, thank you for leading the gong players… We enjoyed so much watching your amazing presentations. It was really entertaining!
Some also came from far away, like Brussels, Belgium and Limburg who perform for us. Greatly appreciated!
Thank you fellow board members- June, Romelita and Tess and your family for all the hard work, dedication and for such a wonderful collaboration. Thank you too to members of our advisory committee- Cesar, Yvonne, Lorita, Jean and Aida, who are always willing to support and help us make our gathering successful.
Also much thanks to Jean, Lorita, Mirasol, Luniza, Romelita,Tess and Maridel who work so hard to ensure the kitchen is all set and we have food and drinks all set. Aprille and Donna, great work in preparing and leading the parlour games!
Thank you Lourdes for once again doing a great job at the registration desk. To Raymond and Ronnah Visser, salamat for taking good care of our sound system, which made our party even more livelier!
Sophie, thank you for capturing the moments with your photography skills and sharing your beautiful pics with us! BIG BIG thanks also goes to our raffle draw grand prize sponsors, Del Rosario & LVM.. and table sponsors our very own Lourdes of NWorld & Jean & Lorita of Stichting Bocarile…
Last but not the least, we would like to thank our brilliant and truly outstanding and determined MABIKAs founding chairperson, Myra Colis, whose leadership and vision steered our MABIKAs foundation initiative from day one. Her undergoing chemo treatments was not a hindrance to the development of MABIKAs.
And to all of you who were there, you indeed have made our Christmas party possible and successful, you all know who you are, and we are truly grateful for all you have done! Sala-salamat unay!”
(Written & delivered by Rachel de Weerd, MABIKAs Foundation Secretary)
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