I was introduced to Gawad Kalinga (GK) through the Singles for Christ (SFC) community. Over time I have taken the work of GK to heart knowing that I am serving the less fortunate and making a difference in the lives of our brothers and sisters in the Philippines. With my passion for helping the less fortunate, I participated in numerous fundraising efforts through the SFC community. In addition, I have also initiated personal GK fundraising efforts for the purpose of helping our less fortunate brethren.

My efforts in fundraising for GK from Canada eventually led me to my calling to travel to the Philippines and to offer my time to serve in person. I faced many challenges to make this mission trip possible, but through God’s grace I overcame these obstacles. To name a few, I was authorized by my employer to take a six-month unpaid leave of absence for the purpose of serving the poor. Thankfully I had my job waiting for me when I return back to Canada. In addition, during these six months of receiving no form of income, my mom agreed to help me with some of my financial responsibilities, which I promised I will pay back when I return.

Through the T.E.A.CH. program, I was referred to serve at the Tanawing Pag-Asa GK Village located in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao. This area is very diverse in religion with the majority comprising of Catholic and Muslim faiths. I thought it would be a great opportunity to be immersed with people of different faiths, to serve them and learn about the way of life in this area. Unfortunately this area has had a reputation for various kidnappings and terrorist bombings. Due to this reality, I received plenty of discouragements from many friends and family because they were concerned about my safety. At the same time, I received assurances from full time missionaries in the area that as I serve in Tacurong I am safe. I had faith in the Lord that He will lead me, guide me, and protect me throughout my journey. I knew during my prayers and reflections that the Lord had a purpose for me –I was called (to come) here to serve.

During my mission work, all of my travel expenses to and within the Philippines were at my own expense. Although the total costs of my travels were pricey, my experiences gained through serving the Lord and his people, the relationships formed and the lessons which I learned throughout this mission trip were well worth it.

I served in the Tanawing Pag-Asa GK Village in Tacurong, Mindanao. I served as a Teacher’s Assistant for 3-year old children in the SIBOL program of GK. I also provided English communication workshops for SIBOL teachers who were based in GK villages throughout the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.

I also had the great opportunity to immerse myself with the beneficiaries who lived in the village. It was a great experience to spend time with them during the day and also to sleep there.

It was very memorable the first time I slept in the village. I arrived at the village in the evening and the elders led me to my quarters where I would stay for the night. The children crowded around me and followed me while we were walking to my sleeping quarters. They were all very excited and surprised to see that I will stay the night there. I was placed in a guest house and my room quickly filled with children and adults. We all had a great time conversing. However, I found some people were very shy to talk to me since their English was not as fluent. I also learned that they were satisfied to just sit in the room with me simply to listen and hear me talk. I found that very interesting. It is not very often that they hear somebody speak in straight English. Throughout the evening, the children presented to me their performances in songs and dance. I recorded their performance on my digital camera and as a treat for them I played back their performance on my laptop. It was a treat for them to see that and while I observed everyone in the room I saw their smiles and felt their joy. This was one of the many memorable moments which we shared through my immersion with the beneficiaries of this village.

In Canada, I am an IT professional and am only experienced in training adults. However, to serve as a teacher for children as young as three years old, in the Philippines, this was a new experience and a big challenge for me, something which was out of my comfort zone. This was a test of my ability to teach and deal with young children. In addition this also tested my patience while dealing with “challenging” children.

As a Teacher’s Assistant for the SIBOL program, I taught the children and also maintained peace and order between the kids. Through experience, I have learned that a child’s attention span would only last ten seconds. As a result I needed to be creative and worked very hard to keep them very entertained and engaged – we would play games, sing, and sometimes dance. This was a very demanding role and at the end of the day I was really drained. Despite this, I was motivated and excited to continue on the next day.

It was memorable for me to be of service to these children. They all have different backgrounds –some of which come from circumstances which they should not have gone through. It was nice to know that these children now have hope for their future through Gawad Kalinga. They are living in acceptable conditions in their GK homes, and now have education provided to them through the SIBOL program. This is truly a blessing for them and their family.

From Monday to Friday class would begin at eight o’clock until eleven in the morning. However I usually stay in the village for a few additional hours to spend time with the families, and talk to many people in the village. This was a great opportunity for me to learn of their way of life and also just chat with them. I would also share stories of my experiences in Canada which they found very interesting as well.

On numerous occasions I was invited into their homes and had a sample of their food. I was also treated to eat some delicacies in the area, like fried frogs. I have never eaten this before but the food preparation was special –the children went out of their way to catch the frogs in the pond and prepare it as a special treat for me. I felt very privileged, plus it tasted very good! Just like chicken!

On top of being able to serve the children, and being able to sit with the villagers, to be an open ear to them, I had been receiving many blessings in return. The Lord is so good that he blessed me with the opportunity to spend time with my relatives who lived in Davao and Marbel, many of whom I haven’t seen for years. I returned back to my roots, experiencing life in the Philippines. I have lived in Canada since I was six months old, and to now live in the Philippines for an extended period of time, this was an adjustment for me. This journey gave me the opportunity to experience how Filipinos live, to experience my roots, to see the beautiful things that God has created for us.

I was blessed to see and experience many things around the Philippines through my journey in service. A few examples are:

• Visiting many GK sites located around Mindanao and enjoy their local food.
• Visiting the T’boli tribe in Lake Sebu and eat the delicious Tilapia fish.
• Visiting a rice mill and learning how rice is processed.
• Visiting the Dole Pineapple plantation.
• Climbing to the top of Mt. Apo after eighteen hours of climbing!

My purpose to serve in the Philippines was not to change the world or to make my mark through my efforts. Instead, it was simply to love the people and offer my presence through my time, talents and efforts.

This journey was truly an experience of a lifetime and something which I will never forget. By serving the poor in the Philippines, I now have a greater appreciation for the work which is taking place to eliminate homelessness and poverty among the poorest of the poor. Through this journey, I am motivated to continue to serve and help the less fortunate. Once I am back in Canada I will share my story and continue to be an advocate for Gawad Kalinga, and raise awareness by spreading the word on this worthy cause.

To join GK’s child and youth development program, kindly email GK Isang Milyong Bayani, at GawadKalinga1mb@gmail.com or gkbuilderscorps@gmail.com for overseas volunteers.