Tsunami aid and relief for Japan

Photo above from CNN website

After Japan was hit by the destructive eartquake and tsunami. I tried to watch everyday in CNN Breaking News to see the updates on what's going on with Japan... My heart breaks over and over again to see those images and videos. But I know that it should not end with me here having tears and feeling sad for those people. I think we should do something in our own little way to help those in need.

I found out in CNN website the article: Tsunami aid and relief: How you can help. You can read there the charities helping Japan. And it is well explained on how you can donate to a chosen charity organization. Most of them are so easy just send text message with a corresponding word to a certain number then you'll be able to send $10. I'm here in Holland so I'm not really sure if it's working also here or maybe it would work only in USA.

The following charities are helping now in Japan which were mentioned also in the article on how you can help:

> World Vision
> American Red Cross
> The Salvation Army
> Americares
> Save the Children
> UNICEF
> Mercy Corps
> Convoy of Hope
> Globalgiving.org
> International Medical Corps
> ShelterBox
> Doctors Without Borders
> Americans Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
> Jewish Community of Japan
> Operation Blessing International
> American Humane Association
> Search Dog Foundation

At the end of the article it further says that "For more information, please read CNNMoney's story explaining how donors should watch the crisis unfold before sending contributions. The article also provides tips on what to give, where to give and how to avoid scams".

Indeed there are many ways to send our help or donations. My personal choice is the ShelterBox. It think in every box they send is a big help to every homeless family that is affected by disaster like the eartquake and tsunami in Japan.





The photo above is from website of Convoy of Hope. Where there's an article over 50,000 Meals expedited from Philippines to Japan.

There might be persons who could not give financial help. But I think they are still capable of giving big help by keeping the PRAYERS for the victims of this disaster. And by continuing the prayers that the Reactor no.3 of the Japan nuclear plant will not meltdown.

Ruben's 65th & Berta's 70th Birthday Slideshow

Today is my mother's 70th birthday and yesterday was my father's 65th birthday. Like what i wrote yesterday, my brother's, sister and sister-in-law organized a special birthday party for our parents. The youtube video above was made by my brother Jon and was shown in a projector then. I've heard Jon received compliment from some relatives because it was well done. But for me, the first time i've watched it, tears came out in my eyes.... there's no question with the photo slideshow, it's so beautiful and a bit funny in the first part with some old photos of my Papa and Mama... but when the photos for Family was shown... I just felt how i miss all of them sooooooo much... How I wish my father is in Manila to celebrate with family, relatives and friends... How I wish my husband, our daughter and I was there too... Actually that was our plan since last year, that we will all be in Manila on their birthday celebration, but due to circumstances beyond our control it didn't happen.

But of course, I'm happy that my Mama enjoyed the party together with all the visitors. And my Papa was happy too that with Jon's help he was able to record his telephone message for Mama. Yesterday we did a long distance call for Papa in Saudi and our daughter sang "Happy Birthday Lolo" to him and that made him so proud too..
Thank you Jon, Happy, Alvin, Roshel for helping each other that made the birthday party a happy and successful one. I've seen the video clip of Red and Steph for their Lolo and Lola, that is also so sweet and so nice of both of you. I like it!
And thank you to all our relatives and friends who came and danced in the party.

Happy Birthday Papa en Mama

Today is the 65th birthday of my father and tomorrow is the 70th birthday of my mother. My brothers, sister and sister-in-law helped in preparing the birthday celebration which was held yesterday. I'm a bit sad because my father is in Saudi, so he was not there in Manila to celebrate together with Mama their birthday. My husband our daughter and I prepared a surprise video greetings for my Papa and Mama.

I thank God for blessing us with wonderful, cheerful and loving parents like my Papa and Mama. May God continue to bless both of you with good health, love and happiness always. Keep smiling and stay sweet and young at heart.

We miss you and we love you!!!

Debulos Family

I just received from my brother the photos from yesterdays birthday celebration of my parents... Yesterday was my father's birthday and today is my mother's birthday... Just made me happy to see them celebrating together... It's a bit like a reunion because almost all the brothers and sister of my father came there with some of my cousins and their kids...

They use to make a joke with each other... Debulos is my maidens surname and we call ourselves "Pamilya Dimagiba" (family that can't be ruin). Actually it's the expression that we've seen in old filipino movies before, where ther are about 9 or more brothers... I don't remember anymore the title of the movie but it's simply shows that with big family especially more brothers that's not really easy to break them ha... By the way, in my father side, they are 12 siblings (8 brothers and 4 sisters)... We don't really came from rich family but for sure, we feel good under our skin... One thing I noticed, my Tita and Tito's have a sense of humor as well as my cousins...
In two photos you see above, those photos were taken in summer 2007, that's really like a reunion in a resort... The two youngest brother of them are in Bicol that's why you can just see ten of them.. I like this photo and I'm happy to see how they are close to each other even they are a bit old already...

And for me, my Papa is number 1 with great sense of humor... very funny and cheerful to be with. Whenever he's in the house, there is always a moment where we have to Laugh Out Loud.... I miss them...

Mijn Vader en Moeder (My Father and Mother)

Last year, I greeted my father and mother's birthday, but my father was in Saudi Arabia then and mother was in Philippines, so I wrote my wish that they will be together on their birthday (dutch my life: Happy Birthday Mama and Papa!). My wish came true... Today is my father's birthday and tomorrow is my mother's birthday... And they are together now in Manila, my father came for a vacation in Manila last month and he will be staying there till first week of November... Oh! now, i have a new wish that on their next birthday (next year) I wish that we could have a chance to have a vacation too in Manila, so that we are all together. That would really be like a reunion ha.


I would write it again... "I thank God for giving us a parent like them kind hearted, generous, responsible, cheerful and loving mother and father to us... They've shared to us everything they could give... And I thank them for upbringing us with FAITH in God, because that's a treasure that would always stay in our hearts and they share it with all their LOVE... We are really blessed to have a parent like them. "

WE LOVE YOU MA and PA
May God bless both of you with love and happiness you truly deserve always.

Last but not the least, I appreciate how my father and mother bring music in our family and in our hearts.... I think that's what also make our family more lively and cheerfully... I'll never forget how we enjoy singing karaoke together and how my papa and mama dances on ordinary sunday by hearing oldies love songs in Radio... soooo sweet!

We miss you......
Big kisses from Ron, Marge and Mireille

De Jurk (The Dress)

Last Saturday, my filipina friend Cathy who is living in Schiedam (about 3 hours drive away from us) came to our house with her Dutch parnter, to bring some pasalubong... She just came back from Holland after her 2 weeks vacation in Philippines... And my family in Manila sends some small things for us here especially for Mireille... It made me proud that now, Mireille have her first jurk (dress) made by my Mama (as you can see in the photo)...

My mother is a dressmaker eversince and we grew up wearing clothes made by her, all our school uniforms from kindergarden to college level. And even on our teenage days when wearing casual dress or bestida (in tagalog) is not usual, she never get tired making clothes for us... not to mention all the dresses she made for me and my younger sister on special occassions like birthday, graduation day, recognition day or if we are going to attend special occassion.. And one of the special dress she made for me was my Wedding Dress...

As of now she still likes to make clothes and this time those are for her grand children like my nieces, Red and Steph... And the jurk (dress) for me daughter could just be one but for sure it's a VERY SPECIAL ONE... My daughter didn't realize yet that it was made by her Lola Berta but to see how proud she is when she wears it, could mean that for her it's also her special dress...