Night to Shine: A Prom night for Person with Disability

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40, 45, NIV)

Last February 10, 2018, I was invited to attend an event at Christ Commission Fellowship (CCF) center at Pasig City. This event is "Night to Shine", a Prom Night for Persons with Disability (PWDs) sponsored by Tim Tebow Foundation.

The idea of this event comes from the fact that majority of PWDs were not able to attend prom night. Some are not even attending regular school so there is no access to attend such. As this organization believes that everyone is fearfully and wonderfully made, they come with this special Prom Night intended for PWDs to experience the first class party they can ever have in their lives.

I was just a guess in this celebration so I will only be giving information accordingly to what I have witnessed.

The Rich and Famous Peg

_{(Me, Kuya Joey, having Cerebral Palsy and Sir Wisdom Sy, our companion. He is Businessman but volunteered for the event )}

The program proper starts at 3 pm but the call time is at 12 pm. There was a lounge intended for dressing up and makeup/ grooming. There were makeup artists, hairdressers and stylists for free. All the clothes and accessories in the wardrobe is given for free as well to the attendees and their companion. Therefore, all that is needed will be the PWD guest to have their greatest party ever. There are designated ushers everywhere. It is as if the guests are VIPs that need first class service and security. I felt like a fabulous celebrity that night. Ushers are all dressed up in coat and tie and sophisticated dresses.

The party starts with a red carpet entourage haha. I was surprised that they prepared all of these. It is just so glamorous. I felt like a member of the royal blood as I walk across the red carpet. There are even designated photo ops coordinated by professional photographers and videographers.

The Venue and Food

As I enter the venue, there are ushers assisting all the participants. The room has this classy ambiance with good music.
Its a labor of love and work of art. The entire place is a masterpiece. Every piece, every component of the room is well crafted, perfectly designed and glamorously arranged. This is not just an event for having just an event. It is a celebration to rememberbuilt from love, compassion and faith.

The food is also a winner. It is fine dining well served. The wood is so delicious and not that usual menu. It was specially cooked just for the night. They made us PWDs the very important person in the world. We felt the overflowing concern of making this day unforgettable. Yes, they were successful in doing it so.

The Party

The party wasn't just a feast. It is also a celebration of honoring the people with special needs and acknowledgment of the sacrifices their family have given to them. Of course, there was the usual song and dance portion but headed by the Pwds. It was fun. It was exhilarating. I just can't dance but the influence of the joyful crowd makes you groove.

Most of all, the part which I really adore and made me teary-eyed, was the crowning of the PWDs by their loved ones. They said that being PWD is gift no less than the fam and fab celebrities of the world. I felt loved. I felt appreciated. That is the feeling I also witness in each and every guest of Night to Shine.

Realizations

As of this age, PWDs are still being discriminated against. Most of us are kept at home in fear of judgments and worthless pity of other people. Some are being neglected and at worst abandoned. Bullying is also rampantly depleting the self-esteem of the PWD and perpetrators simply get away with it. A mere stare eats the self-confidence of a disabled one. Shaming as well damages the soul. All of these makes PWDs estranged of the world. They become a marginalized sector. However, with Night to Shine all of these disappeared. PWD and their companions felt free to move and burst out their real selves. No alienation. No discrimination. No prejudice. We were accepted. We were appreciated. We were loved.

As the program goes along, it unraveled honest smiles. It unleashes gladness that was hidden for so long. I was a human. Complete. We were PWDs but we are normal peeps for a moment. It was happiness the world can never understand but only be experienced. Night to Shine was indeed a night to shine.

As we bid farewell to each other, we will be reminiscing the moments we had in that room where we shine so bright for one night.

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