Layers Of Lego For Layers Of Hope For The Philippines

Layers Of Lego For Layers Of Hope

I always wondered what to do with the layers and layers of Lego bricks my son accumulated through the years. Yesterday, my son shared with me a brilliant idea as we ready for our family’s fundraising event for the Typhoon Haiyan victims at our son’s last Fall Soccer game.

Friday night, we went home late after buying all the things we needed for our first fundraising. Tired but wired up from excitement, we were still awake at 02:00 in the morning doing our respective assignment. My wife was baking the last batch of the cheese cup cakes and coconut macaroons, I was busy finishing my poster board and my son, making as much customized Lego Spinners and Lego Star Troopers. After finishing the poster board, I asked my son to teach me how to make the Lego Spinners so he can catch up some good sleep before our big day.

I guess, we were all tired and overslept. We wanted to set up our fundraising stuff at the Soccer game field by 07:30 A.M. but instead we got there by 08:15. The game was already starting. Huffing and puffing, we set up our table. Hurriedly, we arranged our baked goodies, chocolates, coffee and juices. I placed proudly in front of the table my son’s customized Lego Spinners and Lego Star Troopers. While waiting for generous donors, we had a brief soccer warm up of running and kicking. It was a great wake up booster!

My wife left me alone at our fundraising table as she went to cheer for my son’s soccer game. Before she ran towards my son, she took a quick iPhone picture and sent it to my sister to update her of our fundraising drive. It took a while before someone approached our table. For a moment, I was getting sad that no one seemed to notice. The clouds were also getting dark like it’s about to rain.

Just when I thought it was time to wrap up and move to a different location after the soccer game, the first kind-hearted donor came. They already knew about the Typhoon’s devastating effect in the Philippines and asked how my family were. After a quick update of how things were in the Visayas, the dad placed something inside the donation box. I asked him, “Would you like to get any cupcakes, cookies or juice for your family?” Initially he said, “It’s okay, we just want to give.” I told him, “Thank you. There’s Starbucks‘s coffee if you like?” He answered, “Okay, that sounds good.”

I called my wife happily, “Hey, got my first donor. Looks like we’re staying for a bit.”

One grandma from Dallas approached the poster board and asked while pointing at the pictures, “What’s going on here?” I shared with her the heart breaking story of Tacloban, of Capiz, Iloilo and other parts of the Visayas in the Philippines ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan. I saw a deep sadness on her face. Beside her was her grandson who was busy playing with the Legos. I told her, “Get any food and drink you like.” She asked, “How much?” I answered, “Just whatever you want to give. We bought this stuff to help our son be involved in helping the victims in the Philippines. We want all this food to go plus we’d been pre-tasting those cupcakes and macaroons days before.” Then she noticed that her grandson wanted one of the Lego Spinners. I did put a price on his customized Legos. She said, “Oh, it’s $10.00.” She then called her grandson, “Hey, don’t take that. Let’s go to our car so I can get more money. As I handed her grandson one of the Lego Spinner, I told her, “It’s okay. We have more.” Her grandson gave me a big happy smile as I showed him how to play with the Lego Spinner and how to assemble it if it breaks.

After a while, the lady from Dallas came back and placed more donation in the box. We talked and talked until it started to rain. I called my wife. “Oh, oh. It’s raining. We have to cut short our fundraising before the food gets wet. She ran towards our table as I ran towards the car. The lady from Dallas helped us put our stuff in the car. Bless her kind heart and all those who took time to approached our table, listened about the Philippines and gave without seconds thoughts. Even if we didn’t finish our fundraising goodies, I was already happy that several took notice and cared. After placing all our things in the car, I ran towards my son’s soccer field and catch up of what’s left of the game. I asked my wife, “Did we win?” She replied, “No, but he scored 2 out of 3 for his team.” I looked at my son laughing happily as he chased his team mates. I thought, “He looked like he won.”

I must be so tired when I wrote on this poster board. My sister texted my wife while watching my son’s soccer game, “Looks like he missed a letter on the word typhoon.” My wife hurriedly called me so I can correct my spelling. No wonder some of the donors were trying to figure out what the word was before Haiyan. This morning I reflected on it. Looks like letter H was missing for a reason. Letter H was given to another greater, meaningful word, “Hope.”

On the way to the car, we gave one more Lego Spinner to his team-mate. On the way home he asked, “Dad, how many bought my customized Legos?” I said, “Two and they loved it.” He further asked, “How much is in the box?” I replied, “I don’t know. I didn’t count. What matters is we tried to help in whatever way we can. Oh, and we’re not done yet. We still have tomorrow. May be we’ll have one by the beach.” Smiling he said, “Okay.”

Guess what he did as soon as we reached home? Yep, he made more Lego Spinners but this time with a  customized Yellow Trooper mini-figure with accessories and all.

There is always something we can do to help others. Big or small, Legos or cupcakes, a few dollars or a million, what matters is the genuine sincerity to give and be an instrument of positive change in a world badly crying for it.

Later that day, my wife told me, “Good news. Our Savannah group raised $1,600.00 just from the garage sale alone. The auctioned bags are not yet included. Trying to whisper to her friend on the phone, she said, “So, someone wants to buy it for $1,200.00?” She taught I didn’t hear her conversation. After talking to her friend, I told her, “That sounds more than just the price of the throw pillows and clothes.” Then I asked, “You auctioned the bag that I gave you as a present?” She gave me a big smile, “I was trying to surprise you. From the proceeds, I will give part to the victims in your hometown Capiz and some to my hometown Iloilo. The rest plus the one in our garage sale to Tacloban and the rest of the Visayas. Hearing that, I wanted to hug her but I was driving. I thanked her for being generous and selfless. Was I surprised? Happily surprised.

Blogger friends, thanks for the continued prayer and help for the Philippines. Today, if you got time please check the fundraising campaign me and my co- workers called SheterBox campaign. It could be our Blogger Family campaign too. 

 ShelterBox, provides emergency shelter with basic disaster response tools which is badly needed in the wake of this horrific event. They are already in disaster areas but needed more funds for reinforcement. For all my WordPress family who wish to help provide a roof for the many homeless and orphaned by Typhoon Haiyan here’s my link Team ShelterBox Campaign – Support Flash Barny. Please check out this YouTube video called ShelterBox: Responding To Typhoon Haiyan for an overview of what this amazing project is all about. ShelterBox responds to all calamities worldwide with boxes ready to deploy internationally. The Philippines is just one of the places we could help, if we continue giving, help and relief keeps going from all countries in the world needing them. Together, we can make an even bigger difference to neighbors in need.

I anyone is interested in having a Lego Spinner Fundraising Drive in your area and want to make use of the piling layers of broken Lego bricks, I’d be glad to guide you on how to make one. A borrowed idea from Lego Boy of course. Thank you and God bless.