‘This Christmas, being complete as a family is enough’

MALABON — “Being complete as a family this Christmas is enough. That’s already the best gift for me,” so says 41-year-old Jackilyn, a housewife and a World Vision volunteer who looks after the well-being of registered children.

“Our Christmas is very joyous when we are all together, when we have our Noche Buena (Christmas eve dinner) and we visit to different places,” Jackilyn’s daughter, 14-year-old Cassandra adds.

After two years of being of not being able to spend Christmas as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, both mother and daughter realized that their family being healthy and complete is enough for them to have a joyous holiday season.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, that year’s Christmas was rough, Jackilyn admits. Her husband, Michael, lost his job as a factory worker. Her family also couldn’t hold their yearly Christmas reunion with other members as well due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The pandemic even posed challenges for Jackilyn when it came to her duties as a volunteer, “There were fears back in the day of simply going outside. While I wanted to carry out my duties a volunteer, I couldn’t help but be wary since the virus was around, you’d worry whether or not you’ve been infected by it,” she shares.

However, it didn’t stop her from volunteering and is even thankful to the parents of the sponsored children as they kept in touch with her despite the circumstances brought by the pandemic. “The fulfillment of the job brings overshadows the challenges that come along with it. Seeing the smile on the children’s faces and the positive changes that you notice in them are undoubtedly the best rewards,” Jackilyn says.

“I ensure that children in my community is ok, and I think of them as my own children,” Jackilyn adds with endearment.

Her qualities now, Jackilyn admits, was far from when she and Cassandra joined World Vision back in 2016. “I was reserved when I first started. Thanks to the seminars World Vision conducted, I’m now more confident when it comes to engaging with people,” Jackilyn shares.

For her part, Cassandra is also grateful for the trainings World Vision organized in the past, as this has shaped her to be a child leader in her community.

With the Christmas season around the corner, what does Cassandra look forward to this yuletide season? “I want to be able to spend time with my family and go back to our tradition of going out to different places this Christmas,” she wishes.

“I’m also thankful to World Vision because it provides our Noche Buena meal, which eases the burden on my parents’ expenses this Christmas,” Cassandra says.

“With the Noche Buena, our Christmas will be very merry,” she adds.