American teen idol Soren Fulton nurtures the heart to serve

For 17-year-old Soren Fulton, having plenty also means having the responsibility to share one’s blessings with those who are in need.

He may not be a Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) or a Dylan and Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), but Soren also had his share of great roles. His biggest break was when he played Fermat in Thunderbirds (2004). In the movie, Fermat is the nerdy bestfriend of the son of a former astronaut who now spends his time helping other people. Mostly set in an island, the story focused on how Fermat, together with his best friend Allan (Brady Corbet), tried to stop the villain Hood (played by esteemed Brit actor Sir Ben Kingsley) from stealing the powerful weapons and vehicles called Thunderbirds. It also starred the Filipino-American “High School Musical” star Vanessa Hudgens.

Soren disclosed that he just finished an episode of Private Practice, set to be shown in the United States by October.

Despite his success in show business, what makes Soren stand out from other young actors is his heart to serve.

At the age of 9, a group called Continentals played in the church he was attending in Torrance, California. “I saw how people are cast out from their homes for something curable,” he lamented.

Already at that age he was making a considerable amount of money from his movie stints, television guestings, and commercials. After seeing the presentation, he decided to start giving a fraction of his earnings to the American Leprosy Missions (ALM).

“If you have the resources then you got the opportunity to share, then why not?” Soren pointed out.

Giving money was not enough though, he yearned to see the people who benefited from his contributions. “There is a difference between hearing about little Megan getting healed and actually seeing her in the hospital,” Soren said.

So when ALM’s president, Christopher Boyle, asked him to join them for a trip to the Philippines, he immediately accepted having just finished a project and with nothing much to do. With the Philippine Leprosy Missions, they visited the Cebu Skin Clinic where most of the leprosy patients in the region are confined.

He added that because the disease can be treated the biggest challenge is managing the expectations of the patients. “The treatment is not some miracle drug that you would just take and then the next day you’re healed,” he commented. “Sometimes the scars and the clubbed fingers won’t disappear even if you are already cured.”

Aside from punching villains and leprosy, Soren professed that he is “a fairly normal American teenager boy.”

“When I wake up I go to the bathroom and decide whether to shave or not, but I would end up shaving anyway because it would hurt more when the stubs are longer. Then I read a book, call my friends, practice Taekwondo (he’s a black belter), read more, and listen to music,” he said.

Soren revealed that spending three hours of school even during taping poses a challenge in landing a project. “They (the producers) get to pay us for the three hours we spend for school, the reason why if they adult to play our (teens) part,” Soren said. “But I plan to take this exam which allows us to work as adults, where we don’t need to spend three hours for school. This way I could better compete with other actors and be at an advantage to those my age,” he added.

Asked what his dream role would be: “I would love to play the villain because everybody can play the good guys. I empathize more with the villains,” he said.

But whether Soren plays the good guy or the bad guy, in reality he will always be the hero for leprosy patients around the world.