Christmas cards that touch the heart

For several years now, I’ve been buying Christmas cards from the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (AMFPA), existing since 1956, and I do hope that those I send the cards to read the fine prints at the back which indicate which AMFPA member did the painting featured on them.

AMFPA is not a charity group but a company entirely owned by seriously disabled members who have learned to draw and paint with the brush held in the mouth or with their toes. What beautiful cards they create!

I buy the cards because I want to support the AMFPA members who, despite their being physically-challenged, want to earn a decent living and be useful members of the society. AMFPA mails the cards to me (and other people, too) usually end of November and I pay either by personally dropping by the AMFPA office in Quezon City or sending the check by mail.

Here’s the letter enclosed in the package, written by AMFPA member Jovy Sasutona using a pen held in his mouth:

Christmas and New Year are drawing near and I am writing to you on behalf of my fellow artists to introduce our work, all created with the brush held in the mouth or foot.

It is difficult to find a method that pleases everyone and only by approaching you this way can we adequately describe the background of these cards, reproduced from our original paintings which are created through hard work, determination, skill and patience. It also gives you the opportunity to examine the quality of our work.

Our aim, God willing, is to be able to support ourself through the sale of our cards. We are not a charity but a self-help organization. By forming this partnership, we have been able to pool our talents.

The price for the set is P395 and we hope that having considered the design and quality of our work you would like to buy the enclosed set and perhaps order more. Please see the enclosed form for further details.

However, should you decide not to purchase, you may return the whole package back to us by marking “Return to Sender” outside the package.

Thank you for taking your time to read this letter and on behalf of my colleagues may I wish you health and happiness throughout the holidays and the coming year.

Meet three of the AMFPA members and take a good look at samples of the AMFPA cards.

(Note: The AMFPA office is at the ground floor Unit B of Crismor Bldg., #29 G. Araneta Avenue, Barangay Santol, 1113 Quezon City. Phone numbers are 716-4719, 413-3071 and 494-2323.)

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