Today we had a huge event for all the high school seniors in Malaybalay City. There were nearly 1000 students packed into the concert hall, not fully knowing what all the event was going to offer. This one day retreat was something that we could never do with a public high school in the States, but we took a chance out here and it was such a blessing to be a part of. During this event, we had three parts. The first, was just a clear presentation of the Gospel. No pressure, no forcing, no coercion. Just one man sharing his story and the weight the Gospel has had on his life. The second was a “Find Your Strengths” test and practical application. Finally, we ended with a call to “True Love Waits”.
Karl was our speaker for the first session. He shared his story of how he came from a very prominent family in the area and had all the wealth and social backing he needed to become successful. His family name alone could get him pretty much any job he wanted and could start him down any career path. Unfortunately, when many youth in this country see this promise, they take it for granted. Karl never had to grow up with the plague of poverty that so many in the country face, so his decisions didn’t carry that much weight on his life. It wasn’t until his mid twenties, as he laid there drugged up and headed no where, that he knew this couldn’t be enough.
Not only did Karl hear the call on his life to accept the Gospel, but his eyes were also opened to his brothers and sisters around him. It wasn’t enough just for him to turn his life over, he had to make sure others were taken care of, and boys and girls like him didn’t take advantage of their status. Many of the students that attend this school will start college in a few months. They’ll start college because their families can afford it. A lot of these students have been lucky enough just to graduate from high school. Unfortunately, even the students that will never set foot on a college campus from this school are still in a huge minority of the population that will receive a full grade school education.
As Karl told his story, he emphasized the power and weight of the Gospel and how that’s our first calling. When we accept this call, we can’t just got about our daily lives like before, but this call changes our whole lives. We have to live differently, but that doesn’t mean everyone becomes a pastor or a priest. We need people to continue their education with the Gospel in mind and go fight against poverty and corruption. We need a generation in the country to stand for something other than themselves. We need Filipinos to make changes to save their country.
