Sumber’s Family, Nigeria (FVP Story 2021.)
Sumber's heart pounds as his birthday comes. That's because he can do family volunteering with his mom on his birthday.
Sumber was born on October 7, 2009. Since a year ago, Sumber and his mother have celebrated his birth by giving gifts to friends from school and the neighborhood and those in need. They also invite people to their home for a meal. Last year and this year, Sumber and his mother gave gifts to about 40 friends.
Gifts are mainly essential items such as food ingredients, masks, and socks. His friends said “We usually receive gifts on our birthdays, but your family is the opposite.” They are very surprised and admire that his family gives out gifts and shares meals on his birthday.
Sumber said that it is not easy to wrap, and deliver gifts, but he is proud to hand out gifts to his friends on his birthday and bring people together for a meal. This year he asked his mother to give more, “This time we gave socks to my friends but we should give them the underwear and other things that they need.”
Can you guess how his mother feels when they are volunteering on his birthday? All parents love their children. His mother is a real pushover when it comes to Sumber. It gives her great joy to celebrate her son’s birthday by giving gifts to his friends. And that love that he is sharing is very special.
They are not rich, but Sumber’s birthday is one time in the year that they can spend more to share their love to celebrate Sumber.
Sumber’s mother says the yearly celebration is a chance for her to show her love to the other children in the community. She is very happy to serve and share more. She is happy to do this special thing on her beloved son's birthday, and looks forward to doing it every year. Together, mother and son are learning the joy of family service on their most special day.
Every family has a special day. Wedding anniversaries, birthdays, graduation... It's really wonderful to make these special days a day to share the joy and love with not only your family but also your neighbors.