Dear Friends,   

Christmas 2014 would have been fairly the same as that of 2013 if Typhoon Hagupit didn't change its course and intensity. Hundreds of thousands would be out in the cold “celebrating” with uncertainty. Christmas dinners for many of us would certainly be colder knowing that many are suffering.  

Hagupit was very similar to Haiyan when it started, but I believe our prayers for Typhoon Haiyan were just as intense and sincere as our prayers during Typhoon Hagupit.  

So I asked, what changed? The game changer was the heroic work that everybody did to help prevent loss of lives during a potential disaster! Government, private groups, rich, poor, worked very hard to keep everybody safe and secure.  Even GK Communities welcomed and sheltered evacuees!

Typhoon Ruby challenged us to live out the Christmas message...LOVE

Love is PRAYING and DOING. When we love, we build hope. Prayers and good deeds are inseparable. Jesus himself prayed but he also feeds, heals and brings glad tidings to the poor.

My prayer...

May there be as much or even more active deeds on helping the poor, as there is talk about the plight of the poor.    

Thank you for always being there to share Christmas even if it is not December :)

A Blessed Christmas to everyone!  

Luis Oquiñena 

Executive Director

Gawad Kalinga

GK Malta Naujan, Oriental Mindoro	GK Sto. Tomas Paquitabo, Davao	GK Ponggo Nagtipunan, Quirino

See how our communities celebrated this season of hope by clicking here.