To many parents, there is nothing more fulfilling other than instilling the right set of values in their children. That is why right from their pregnancy, all the way to the formative years of their kids and beyond, they do their best to shape their minds so they grow to be healthy and smart with a heart for a kinder world.
This also comes with exposing their children to many activities that would plant the right seeds for them. One of them is through reading books Rey Bufi, the founder of nonprofit organization, The Storytelling Project, and also a father himself, shares this belief as he harps the love and joy of reading with kids in far-flung communities in the Philippines.
“As a child, I always loved history and though I was not entirely a reader, I was fond of listening to stories of hope and inspiration about great, compassionate leaders,” Rey shared. “Service has always been my love language. It was in college when I was having a hard time and reading helped me cope. I realized, had I been a reader earlier, I wouldn’t have had a hard time. And that is how my passion for stories and service came together,” he added.
To both Rey and his wife Grace, their key role in establishing The Storytelling Project is to mold children to have a kind and altruistic foundation. Aside from helping them perform better academically, driving kids to uphold their values and espouse the goodness in their hearts remain their goal as parents, guardians, and caregivers. “Our work as volunteers is to let our children experience our adventures when we are close to normalcy. When we’re in the field, you get the privilege of being a part of somebody’s slice of life. And this allows you to interact in a more compassionate and caring manner even if you only spent a little time with them,” the Bufis said.
Today, Rey continues with his passion for sharing stories. He recently participated as a host and storyteller in Enfagrow A+ Four’s Tales of Kindness from the #HealthySmartKidWithAHeart campaign, which featured stories of kindness to inspire parents to teach their children about compassion.
