Saturday, January 20, 2007 Niño's toys By Jenara Regis Newman
ON any given day, the Santo Niño de Cebu statue venerated at His basilica receives offerings of flowers which wither, and occasionally, chocolates and other foodstuff which get to be eaten by the Niño caretakers. Just about every week, there is an offering of a toy or trinket or whatever a devotee may think would amuse the Child Jesus. These have become so numerous that the Augustinian priests have decided that these, too, deserve a place in the Santo Niño museum, along with the Niño’s precious (some priceless) accouterments of bejeweled statues, elaborate garments and donated jewelry.
According to Fr. Dominador Bersales, OSA, the museum curator, these offerings of toys come mostly from children (or to be more accurate, most of the time, from these children’s parents) who had their health restored or their prayers answered.
Sometimes, these offerings, left at the foot of the Niño, are accompanied by thanksgiving letters for favors received.
Occasionally, the gift of a toy comes from parents whose prayers of having a child have been answered.
The toys are in two cabinets placed to the side of the entrance of the museum, and in another cabinet that served as a stand for the museum guest book. There are more than 500 of these toys, and some of them are not on display as there is no more space for them. So the Santo Niño de Cebu owns not only all those precious garments and jewelry, but also an assortment of cars and trucks in a variety of sizes (including one motorized kiddie car that has no place in the cabinets) boats and planes, stuffed toys, ukeleles, even some pillows and several pairs of shoes. And yes, a used kiddie watch, even though in His eternal now, He does not need it. But surely He appreciates the gesture of the child who gave it up for Him.
These assorted items are duly documented like the rest of the exhibits in the museum. The letters are kept in storage along with the other toys which have no space in the cabinets.
The toys may not be as precious as the rest of the exhibits on display in the museum but surely they are precious to the One for whom they are intended because these are gifts from truly grateful hearts who think this is the best way to give thanks and to express their love for the Niño.
