THE PASS IT ON GIFT

The Pass It On Gift
By Patricia “Shaan” Bermudez-Hizon

What was the best present you got for Christmas? I really honestly liked the new mountain-biking gloves I got from my husband. I have enough calluses from riding that bike on 20-kilometer trips 4 or 5 times a week. I lost weight, I got stronger, but my palms are as smooth as that of a construction worker! I also love the white Coach sandals I got and the Kenneth Cole bag. Vince and the kids also received a bunch of awesome gifts. Santa gave the boys a basketball net complete with an adjustable goal post, and all the techie kiddy educational toys and the books that they got from godparents, relatives, friends and other people that just found them too cute to resist. As a family, we adore the piano my mom gave us which will definitely enrich our love for music.

But despite all these gifts that were downright awesome, we got one very special gift from Vince’s relatives. This couple was one of the secondary sponsors at our wedding. They continue to be such an inspiration to us and to those who know them. Tito and Sabrina sent their gift in a palengke mesh bag which immediately caught my eye.

I’m a fan of anything recycled and reused, and that palengke mesh bag would’ve come in handy. Initial reaction: brilliant!I immediately read the card which didn’t have the canned Christmas greeting. The card read that it was a “Pass It On Gift.”

“This is a ‘PASS IT ON’ gift. In lieu of a Christmas gift for you, we prepared a ‘Noche Buena’ food package for a needy person… a street vendor, a construction worker, a carpenter, a painter… any person who does not receive a regular salary and 13th month pay… someone who may have nothing to feed his family for Christmas if he is not able to sell anything or have any work that day. We hope that the happy surprise you see on his face when you ‘pass on’ this package will fill your heart with joy, fulfillment and gratitude to the Lord for so much blessings given to you and your family. A Blessed Christmas to you and yours!”

My heart melted. This was the best gift!The colorful palengke mesh bag had a kilo of rice, a champorado mix, a can of carne norte, luncheon meat and a bag of yummy choc-nut. It was enough to make a family dwelling on the streets, or a child begging for food, a woman living under a bridge, or a man selling candies at the corner to have a filling feast for Christmas.

I honestly was touched by the gesture and the sheer brilliance of the gift. I know how good it feels to reach out to the needy as I’ve dedicated almost a decade of my life doing charity work through my “Everyday Is Your Birthday Foundation” and my husband’s “Vince Hizon Foundation.” We’ve been trying to instill the virtues of giving and volunteerism in people who would lend us their ear and are willing to work with us.

But a lot of times though, it is difficult to mobilize people to get up and help. I’ve experienced one Christmas where we gave away cards that said we donated to a foundation on their behalf, and made the Yuletide special for so many orphans as we gave them gifts, food and medicine. But I never really figured out how the recipients felt or if it made enough of an impact to move them to help the needy some more.

Sabrina and Tito’s gift is the best way to start a revolution of giving. I always say that a person is influenced once they see how their efforts make a less fortunate individual feel.

My foundation encourages people to personally celebrate with the less fortunate and be with them; and not merely sign checks for them and not have to see them. In our own simple way, we’ve had so many people pay it forward after the initial outreach with us. And that’s all part of our goal: to move people to help. Volunteerism.

This “Pass It On” gift does more than just put a smile on a street dweller, a beggar, or a construction worker’s face and food in their stomachs. This “Pass It On” fills the heart and opens ones eyes to reality.It’s my first time to get such a gift. I hope they wouldn’t mind it if we duplicate their brilliant gift idea. It’s one of the best ways to pass on God’s blessings and love. That’s what Christmas is all about. That’s what being human is all about.