Inspiration and Hope By CORINA VELASCO
GKY GAT 06 brought me back to my homeland after being away for 16 years. My family left the Philippines when I was 8 years old and lived in Brunei, for nearly 7 years, before migrating to Australia. Although we continued to speak Tagalog at home and kept Filipino values, the time away, gradually weakened my patriotism and identity as a Filipino.
There were moments when I ashamedly wished I wasn't born a Filipino especially during our initial years in Australia when i felt different and an outsider. I had culture shock and did my best to fit in and be considered normal. Ironically, I went through another culture shock when we arrived at the Philippines. But this time, I welcomed it - after 16 years, I was returning home to my roots and fellow countrymen.
Suddenly it seemed that the tour had been personally tailored for me, that for some strange reason, we went to places that had great personal significance. The first GK site that we visited was BASECO in Tondo. This brought back memories of my father scaffolding us when we were younger for taking things for granted, saying he grew up in Tondo, a pretty rough suburb and I finally realised how true his words were.
Then the village where we had our 5 days of building just so happened to be in my home province - Nueva Ecija in San Isidro, less than an hour away from where I grew up, in Cabanatuan City. And before that we visited a site in Cabiao - Chicago Village (Burakay - "burak" means mud, and out of mud, this village was built), where I coincidently met one of my parent's former co-teacher from college and learnt of and met another co-teacher who was the GK provincial co-ordinator for Nueva Ecija.
Later on during the week I found out that my uncle (mum's cousin) had donated part of his farm land in Gabaldon for GK Kalayaan (volunteers who helped build the site were mostly from Ateneo University and recently approximately 60 Aussies from Youth For Christ). I had a chance to visit the site after GKY GAT and meet my relatives whom I have or have not talked to in 16 years, forgotten or never before. It was exhilarating.
As well as that, my understanding of the true Filipino spirit and identity began to unfold and as we met and listened to the inspirational GK staff such as Tony & Wowie Meloto, Dylan Wilk, Tito Raul from BASECO, the GKY GAT 06 service team, and the families in the villages. I found myself growing proud to be a Filipino and felt a great sense of belonging.
I also experienced a gradual realisation of an "all-encompassing" love and awareness of Christ in the poor. Ashamedly, prior to the trip, I was very cynical about the poor and thought that their circumstance was a product of their own doing, laziness and lack of desire for education. Part of my desire to join GKY GAT 06 was to disprove this harsh prejudice and to really see Christ in the poor and to truly love them.
During GKY GAT, I learnt to understand the plight of my unfortuanate brothers and sisters into depression, hopelessness and oppression due to POVERTY. The visits to the numerous GK sites and our immersion in the GK Nuestra Senora dela Solidad village for 5 days had a great impact on me - I met these "poor" people, lived like they did, ate what they ate, slept and showered like them. I felt depressed at first with their low standard of living, but greatly humbled when I saw how happy, joyful and hopeful they were, with so little and living a simple life. I got to hear their stories and their plans for the future.
Slowly my realisation came; these "poor" people were just like me, human, with struggles and dreams, needing love and hope from us who were fortunate enough to be given a chance at a better life. Recognising their transformation and seeing their conviction to aspire for a better life is such a great inspriation for me! To be part, in my own small way, of the miracle happening through solidarity with the poor. It gives me hope and new-found meaning in my own life. For me, the great adventure has just begun!
As well as that, my understanding of the true Filipino spirit and identity began to unfold and as we met and listened to the inspirational GK staff such as Tony & Wowie Meloto, Dylan Wilk, Tito Raul from BASECO, the GKY GAT 06 service team, and the families in the villages. I found myself growing proud to be a Filipino and felt a great sense of belonging.
