Thanks be to God for the gift of Christmas. We invited the staff and their families, we shared some gifts and prizes, we had some laughters and tears. All part of the joy the season brings! Here are our pictures:
The real Fr. Mario smiling to make people smile during the homily.
He said three things to the staff: (1) God has a plan for each one - even for a janitor, dishwasher, secretary like us. God had a plan for the world that is why he sent his Son Jesus to save us. God has a plan to bring us all to eternal happiness in heaven. (2) We are serving God, Church, the People of God - not Fr. Mario. All of us are privileged to have an opportunity to serve at LFC. We have different jobs, but we serve the same God, the same Church, the same People. (3) Let us be joyful. True happiness is not found in what we have but rather in how we find happiness in where we live, what we do, and how we serve.
After the mass picture of the workers at LFC. From top left (clockwise): Marlon (gardener), Michael (guard), John (driver), Chester (janitor), Ramil (dishwasher), Demar (kitchen keeper), Sr. Margie (cook), Fr. Mario, Delia (secretary), Sr. Raphaela (bookeeper), and Louie (maintenance).
Ate Susan facilitates the Hep-hep hurray game for the staff!
Demar gets the most coveted gift of P5,000 during the Christmas Party. It was very touching because everyone believes he is most deserving. His mother left her job to take care of her very sick daughter, their house was burned by fire last year, and he is working his way to school. LFC is sending him through college and he is now on his third year in B.S. Criminology.
By the way, this is the second year he completed the novena masses at dawn to pray for some financial help for her family. God listened! Talk about the magic at Christmas!