From Pandemic Project to Prison Transformation: The Healing Hearts Bears Journey
On April 16, 2022, a remarkable initiative began at the Davao City Jail Female Dormitory. What started as a simple idea during the pandemic's waning days evolved into a sustained micro livelihood and meditation program for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs). The Healing Hearts Bear Livelihood Project, combined with Master Choa Kok Sui's Meditation on Twin Hearts, has become a weekly miracle of community support and personal transformation.
The Humble Beginnings: A Call for Compassion
The story actually began four months earlier, on December 24, 2021. With pandemic restrictions still lingering, the project's founder reached out to volunteer-friends willing to crochet teddy bears for children with cancer. The response was heartwarming: working women, a retiree, and a student all offered their time and skills.
Key volunteers included Yvonne Biyo, Mercy Buenaventura, Dr. Jojie Salvador, Apple and Tasha Sandique, Tintin Atienza, An Villarin, Tonet Quintos, Alex Hao, and Dr. Febe Peñaranda. Together, they navigated the learning curve of amigurumi crochet, unraveling and reworking their creations until they perfected the technique over two months.
Their initial goal was modest but meaningful: create enough bears to donate to children with cancer by February 14, 2022. While two volunteers couldn't meet the deadline, the dedicated group managed to produce 53 beautifully crafted teddy bears by Valentine's Day.
The Artistic Expansion: From 53 to 400 Bears
The project took an unexpected turn when artist friend Kublai, initiator of the Mindanao Art Fair (MinArt), proposed featuring the bears in a massive installation art piece for October 2022. "The idea is fantastic," he declared, but his request was daunting: he needed approximately 400 bears within six months.
The founder initially balked at the scale, recognizing that volunteer working women couldn't possibly meet such a demand. Kublai's solution was both practical and transformative: "There's a lot of women at the city jail in Maa that I can tap..." This suggestion opened the door to what would become the project's most significant chapter.
Bringing Hope Behind Bars: The Jail Initiative
With support from pranic healing friends, the founder approached the Davao City Jail Female Dormitory with a dual offer: a small livelihood opportunity through bear crocheting and the introduction of pranic healing's Meditation on Twin Hearts. The timing was significant—they became the first service provider to enter the facility after COVID-19 lockdowns.
Then-warden JCInsp. Rocie Ann Alcantara and her administration proved exceptionally accommodating. The current warden, JCInsp. Connie P. Sendijas, has continued supporting the initiative, allowing it to flourish and expand beyond initial expectations.
By August 2022, the PDLs had successfully fulfilled the bulk order of 400 bears for the Mindanao Art Fair installation. But the project didn't stop there. The founder introduced free pranic healing sessions with the help of dedicated pranic healer-friends, whose contributions remain gratefully acknowledged though unnamed by request.
Sustaining the Miracle: Community Support and Lasting Impact
The project's sustainability has been bolstered by ongoing support from various community members. Friends like Sunil of Indian Palace, Melissa of Katinko, Tek of Huawei/Tekpone, and Yeti of NCCC have provided crucial assistance from the beginning through to the present day.
"A lot more physicalized angels have been helping," the founder notes, expressing eternal gratitude for the network of support that has made this weekly miracle possible. The project continues to evolve, with more stories of transformation waiting to be told as the Healing Hearts Bears initiative demonstrates how creativity, compassion, and community can create profound change in unexpected places.
