Pui Ching to hold fundraiser for fire victims in Portugal

Pui Ching Middle School will be presenting an English musical titled “Esther” this Saturday evening with the goal of raising funds for non-profit organization “Associação Comunidade de Jesus Cristo Vale da Benção,” to aid victims of the Pedrógão Grande forest fire in central Portugal, which occurred earlier this month.   

According to a statement issued by the Pui Ching school, the non-profit organization sends workers to different parts of Portugal to advocate helping poor and broken families, alongside orphans and the needy.

This year’s production, “Esther,” is a biblical story of an orphaned Jewish maiden who becomes the queen of Persia. At the peak of her strife, she guided her people away from total annihilation and destruction while being challenged by Persian oppressors. The story involves the saying “With faith, hope, love and courage – nothing is impossible.”

This is the fourth year Pui Ching has worked alongside the Centre for International Cooperation in Education (CICE) to hold fundraiser events to send aid to children abroad. In last year’s campaign, around MOP500,000 was raised for the “Watoto Child Care Ministries” organization, which oversees and cares for orphans and the women of Uganda.

Kou Kam Fai, principal of Pui Ching, expressed gratitude towards donors from all walks of life, and students, parents and teachers for supporting the school in this charitable event. Kou’s favourite biblical verse, “Love one another as you love yourself”, is what drives the event to hold donations for the Pedrógão Grande wildfire.  

In addition to the musical, a representative from football team FC Porto, will be flying from Portugal to provide signed jerseys to further boost funding for the charity event. The signed jerseys will be auctioned at the event.

The show will start at 8 p.m. and will be held at the hall of Pui Ching Middle School. Currently, tickets for the show are sold out but those who are interested in the auction are welcome to attend.

The Pedrógão Grande forest fire occurred on June 17 and took the lives of over 60 people. Police claimed that a lightning strike on a tree sparked the blaze in a region hit by an intense heat wave and dry winds. It is regarded as one of the worst fires in Portugal since 1996.