Little CAMP Christmas Party

Had a great time today at both of the parties we went to. But I'll write about the second one tomorrow since this will be a long post.

The first party started around 11AM and was held at Kids At Work in SM North EDSA. It was Little Camp Clinics Christmas Party. Sam had a blast (as far as I can tell) though he didn't really participate in anything. I guess all the colorful banners just wowed him and all the people in the place pretty much overwhelmed him. He ended up staring staring and staring at everything. He sat in his own chair almost the entire time and didn't complain once... That's almost 2 hours! Way to go Sam! I wish he reacted more but he did smile at the pretty baby (Andy) who won the best angel costume award.

The prizes were really great too with as much 1000 pesos worth of gift certificates. Little Camp must have had a sponsor since the party fee was really small. Everyone who wore a costume actually got a Gift Pass but since we weren't able to buy any for Sam he didn't get any. It's not really disappointing though especially since Ninong Rico gave Sam some GC's on the second party. Hehe.

The kids had a talent contest though only four participated out of the 60 students. Remember they're all special kids so it's pretty hard to force anyone to perform. The last performer (there were 2 performances only) was so darned cute and funny. He danced to the song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" while crying that he wanted to go home the entire time. He never stopped doing the steps though while he cried as he performed. What made me get all choked up though was the first performance where 3 kids danced to the tune of "Breaking Free'. Everyone was smiling and having a great time though so I really hard time fighting the tears. The only reason I got choked up was really silly but I couldn't help it. The first lyrics I caught when the song started was the part where the guy sang..

"You know the world can see us in a way that's different that who we are .... but your faith, it gives me strength , strength to believe we're breaking free ."

Aw shit. Just thinking about it makes me all weepy again. But hey can you blame me? I was in a room full of special kids (my son being one) and there were three precious little boys in front seriously dancing to a tune that I know is such a big hit with all kids nowadays. They were all different, from most kids and also even from each other, and almost everyone there is usually perceived by the world in such a different way. People pity them, people are curious about them, people sometime feel indifferent, and people sometimes even feel repulsed. But to us who love them and breath and live for them, we see them differently. With enough patience, enough therapy, enough encouragement, enough love they can break free. It might not be big deal to others but the mere fact that those kids can dance, that the kid on the other table was feeding himself although the spaghetti kept on falling off his mouth again, that Andy can now run, that Lindon can now speak, that Ram can now sit a little (he's more than 10 years old already), and that my own little Sam smiled as soon as he saw baby Tesla approach him and wanted to play though he can't crawl nor walk yet, to us each of that little step is breaking yet another barrier, another hindrance. These kids can be more, do more, they're not to be pitied but to be loved and admired for fighting to overcome so much. Special kids need not be doomed to a dependent and utterly "useless" life. We see them differently and hopefully with enough education the rest of the world will too.

I just wish I had pictures to show the world how cool the coolest party I've ever attended was. It wasn't the event. It was the precious souls there. A million angels must have been celebrating with us then.