It has been more than a week since Supertyphoon Haiyan (Yolanda, local name) hit my country, Philippines and devastatedly leaving the cities of Tacloban, Samar, Ormoc, Iloilo and other nearby cities and provinces with thousands of people homeless and some 4000 people of out lives.
It was a great show of generosity how countries all over the world sent in help whether in the form of money, relief goods and medical teams. Aside from that, people from all over the globe showed outpouring support by sharing what they have and sharing donations for the superthypoon victims not to mention the silent prayers each one says for the victims.
Kids are also stirred by what happened that they look for their own ways on how to help the supertyphoon kid victims. Especially our godson, David Carrillo, 5 who is crying on the video below with his plea for other kids around the world to share their own piggy banks as well to help other kids on Tacloban (the hardest city hit by Haiyan).
This video became viral and it was also featured in SBS World News Australia,
This video for me is not only a plea for donation coming from a 5 year old boy but it also reflects the level of empathy a child can have in that age during disasters and calamities and his consciousness of the happening within his surroundings.
Unlike intelligence and physical attractiveness, which depend largely on genetics, empathy is a skill that children learn. Its value is multifold. Children who are empathic tend to do better in school, in social situations, and in their adult careers. Children and teenagers who have the greatest amount of skill at empathy are viewed as leaders by their peers. The best teachers of that skill are the children’s parents.
I am not an expert in this field but I commend David's parents, my cousins, Joy and Jie for bringing up a smart David-intellectually and emotionally (not quite sure if the adjectives I used are correct but nevermind anyway!) That also goes for me wishing that my daughter Ceana will be like Kuya (which means "older brother") David.
I am sharing this link to serve an inspiration, that if a child can aspire to help with his piggy bank then you too can, it may not always be in monetary and material blessings but PRAYERS will also help a lot.
Thank you so much in advance…
