REVERSE GAWAD KALINGA YOUTH GREAT ADVENTURE TOUR 2008 SPECIAL FEATURE
Strength In Our Service
By JOEKARL DIAZ Date Posted: August 02, 2008
Dear GK Philippines, GK PNG and the world!!
Thank you very much to all for giving us, the GK Youth of Australia, the SFC and YFC, the opportunity to spend time with you in the last few weeks some more than others in a spiritual journey through World Youth Day and the REVERSE GK Youth Great Adventure Tour.
It was a great time to be with our fellow brothers and sisters from the Philippines and Papua New Guinea who share the same passion and service in GK. We are glad that you all enjoyed yourselves and overcame the cold weather - I believe no one got sick. It was a great chance for us to show you our country, our culture and our lifestyle.
It was a great realisation for us and our partners to witness in flesh the fruits of GK and just to be in your company. As shared by some: it wasn't the activities nor the events but the simple moments such as sitting in front of the TV together watching, sitting in the car or train together telling stories, or eating together telling jokes that made a big impact in each others' lives and will stay in our memories. There are plenty more realisations that I cannot describe. The fact that you all came made us realise of what things can happen and what more we can dream of.
Thank you for giving us the increased strength in our service not just in GK but in everything else, and the increased love we have to our God and to those we serve.
The GK Youth, SFC and YFC (campus based) who assisted and cared for everybody in the last few weeks are very grateful to be at your service. April 2009 is another great time to have the next REVERSE Gawad Kalinga Youth Great Adventure Tour to coincide with the GK Oceania Congress.
More power and many blessings to all. God bless.
*** Please visit our GK VIDEOS page to watch the REVERSE Gawad Kalinga YGAT video***
A life renewed for poorest of the poor*
By MARIA FRANCO Date Posted: July 30, 2008
Three Filipino pilgrims made it to Sydney following a stringent selection process in their homeland which declared them among the poorest of the poor.
For these three, the excitement of WYD not only revolves around strengthening their spirituality, but about getting on a plane for the first time.
Jerrick Elinan, 20, Laarni Bustamante, 20, and Raymond Dimaiwat, 24, are members of Gawad Kalinga (GK); a Philippines-based organization which began in 1995 to rehabilitate young juveniles and help school dropouts.
GK has been dedicated since to transforming poverty-stricken areas including 1,700 communities all over the Philippines and in other developing countries such as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Cambodia.
GK has been dedicated since to transforming poverty-stricken areas including 1,700 communities all over the Philippines and in other developing countries such as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Cambodia.
For youth co-ordinator, Fredney Gales, GK is about giving hope to the less fortunate back home and seeing living testaments in the form of his group’s sponsored pilgrims. “The significance of them coming to Australia is, basically, the living out of the Catholic faith,” he said.
“Without the support of our brothers and sisters, they would not have had the opportunity to be where they are right now.”
The pilgrims, who arrived on July 2, were sponsored by A Network of Communities for the Poor (ANCOP), GK’s international network which organized both their travel to Australia and host families in Sydney’s west.
All three were raised in extreme poverty, having lived with their families in the slums since they were born.
These days, they remain active in GK as youth volunteers giving back to the community which helped to rebuild their homes and pay for their education.
“We are GK’s beneficiaries,” Laarni said. “Once we were living in small shanties but they sent me to high school and college and now I’m working full-time as a teacher in one of our communities.” Laarni recently graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree in science and religious education so she could spread the Catholic faith among primary school children. “It really feels great. I wouldn’t be where I am now without them [GK],” she said. “If they didn’t help me, I wouldn’t be able to help others.” Laarni said WYD is a chance to deepen her faith in action by meeting the world’s youth and getting to know them on a personal level.
But for Raymond, a full-time volunteer in GK’s Culture and Tourism Department, WYD is a life-changing renewal. “I want to go back to the Philippines and change my habits and change my life,” he said. “I’m so proud to be here and be with the youth that are here for the Lord. They have helped me and my family so much. I’m so blessed.”
When asked about how he feels about being in Australia, Jerrick, a recent science and marine transportation graduate, simply smiles. “I’m happy,” he said. “WYD is the coming together of everybody for one purpose – to unite in love for one another and for God. I really wanted to come here but thought I would never get the chance.”
*Source: Catholic News Weekly 20/07/08
G'day GK SIGA!
by GKOM Australia Web Bureau Date Posted: July 7, 2008
The Reverse GK Youth Great Adventure Tour has BEGUN! The 3 GK SIGA delegates, Laarni Bustamante (20 years old), Raymond "Emong" Dimaiwat (25 years old) and Jerrick Elinon (20 years old) arrived last Wednesday, 2 July 2008 at the Sydney International Airport.
The delegates are joined by other GK fulltime workers from both the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. On their first day, an Aussie-Mexican lunch was prepared for them as they feasted on sausage sizzles and large beef tacos. They were welcomed by GK Youth Sydney and were immersed into the Australian culture immediately by watching the State of Origin finals.
Despite the freezing weather in Sydney, the participants of the REVERSE GK Youth Great Adventure Tour had an early spiritual orientation at Our Lady of Jasna Gora Shrine, Penrose Park. It was a time for them to give thanks for all the blessings that they have received and also reflect on their role as representatives of GK SIGA from the Philippines.
Although their journey just began they have already had the opportunity to meet some of the GK ANCOP, GK Youth, SFC and YFC members in their first week. They have also visited famous landmarks around the city such as St Mary's Cathedral, Darling Harbour and Circular Quay.
GK SIGA Coordinator Fredney Gales together with the SIGA delegates gave inspirational talks and sharings to the audience in the first-ever GK1mB Assembly.
The next 2 weeks will certainly be exciting not only for our participants but also for us here in Australia as World Youth Day gets closer!
Please see the Reverse GK YGAT ITINERARY and inform the service team if you wish to help in any of the activities. We strongly encourage everyone and particularly those that have been on a GK build to meet our REVERSE GKYGAT participants and build long-lasting relationships with them.
Please contact Kathy Santos (0416 211 084) / Joy Lopez (0410 476 378) or Joekarl Diaz (0410 573 429) for more info. Come join with us! Let's make our friends from GK Philippines and Papua New Guinea feel at home!
REVERSE GK YGAT during WYD08
by JOEKARL DIAZ and KATHY SANTOS Date Posted: Feb 15, 2008
GK Youth Australia will once again create a milestone event in the history of Gawad Kalinga as it launches its new program, the REVERSE GK Youth Great Adventure Tour during the World Youth Day 2008.
What is GK YGAT?
The GK Youth Great Adventure Tour (GK YGAT) is a program run by GK Youth since 2004 that allows young people from Australia the opportunity to travel overseas in developing countries such as The Philippines to make a difference and be bearers of hope through living and working with the poor in GK villages, build houses and form relationships.
What is REVERSE GK YGAT?
REVERSE GK Youth Great Adventure Tour is a program run by GK Youth starting this year that will allow young people (SIGA members) from the GK villages in the Philippines the opportunity to travel to Australia that will broaden their hopes and dreams and rebuild their dignity through attending the World Youth Day 08 in Sydney and forming relationships with other young people from around the world.
What is SIGA?
GK SIGA is the youth development and rehabilitation program of Gawad Kalinga for 14 to 21 years of age. SIGA in Filipino means “to start a fire”. SIGA aims to be a catalyst of change and help them out of the darkness of their misery and despair by bringing them into the light.
What is WYD?
World Youth Day (WYD) is a pilgrimage of young people from throughout the world in faith and experience of the love of God and will be held in Sydney from 15-20 July 2008. Organised by the Catholic Church, World Youth Day gathers young people from around the world to build bridges of friendship and hope between continents, peoples and cultures.
REVERSE GK YGAT 08 Program Brief
The GK Youth from the Philippines would register as a participant of the WYD 08.
The participant would travel to Sydney, Australia by 14th July to 20th July 2008 (this is the week of the WYD08, may extend 3 days before and after the dates).
The GK Youth (SIGA members) from the Philippines will be hosted by GK Youth Sydney.
They would engage in the activities of the WYD08, tour Sydney, meet GK partners, give presentations/testimonies, etc. (A week program may be devised at a closer date.)
Cost
The following WYD08 Package appropriate for Reverse GK YGAT is found in www.wyd08.org:
Package B
Duration - full week, Monday 14 - Sunday 20 July 2008
Accomodation - None (to be hosted by GKY Sydney)
Meals - 1 breakfast, 5 lunches, 5 dinner
Transport - included
Health cover - full week plus 3 days before and after the period
Costs of Visa - included (free of government charges, valid for 3 months)
Country classification - lower middle income (based from World Bank - referenced by WYD08)
Total package cost - A$225
(This does NOT include airfare) Airfare may cost variably from A$800 to A$1400.
Action for GK Youth Australia
With the REVERSE GK YGAT, the SIGA youth will need monetary support in getting here. If you would like to help raise funds or sponsorship for airfare and registration of Reverse GKY GAT participants, please fill in the attached SPONSORSHIP form.
We also need to establish host homes for participants and create a program of activities so if you would like to help in any way, please contact Joekarl Diaz on 0410 573 429.
Action for GK Youth Philippines
Candidate Profiles of SIGA members for the REVESRE GK YGAT will need to be submitted and chosen soon.
GK Full-time workers are also invited to join the program.
We will discuss further the target number of participants.
Fredney Gales will be the Program Leader in the Philippines.
Please check the GK Youth Australia website regularly for further updates regarding the REVERSE GK YGAT 2008.
We hope to see you in Sydney during the World Youth Day celebration!
It was a great realisation for us and our partners to witness in flesh the fruits of GK and just to be in your company. As shared by some: it wasn't the activities nor the events but the simple moments such as sitting in front of the TV together watching, sitting in the car or train together telling stories, or eating together telling jokes that made a big impact in each others' lives and will stay in our memories. There are plenty more realisations that I cannot describe. The fact that you all came made us realise of what things can happen and what more we can dream of.
GK has been dedicated since to transforming poverty-stricken areas including 1,700 communities all over the Philippines and in other developing countries such as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Cambodia.
The delegates are joined by other GK fulltime workers from both the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. On their first day, an Aussie-Mexican lunch was prepared for them as they feasted on sausage sizzles and large beef tacos. They were welcomed by GK Youth Sydney and were immersed into the Australian culture immediately by watching the State of Origin finals.
GK SIGA Coordinator Fredney Gales together with the SIGA delegates gave inspirational talks and sharings to the audience in the first-ever GK1mB Assembly.
The GK Youth Great Adventure Tour (GK YGAT) is a program run by GK Youth since 2004 that allows young people from Australia the opportunity to travel overseas in developing countries such as The Philippines to make a difference and be bearers of hope through living and working with the poor in GK villages, build houses and form relationships.
What is SIGA?
The GK Youth from the Philippines would register as a participant of the WYD 08. 
Action for GK Youth Australia
