Making a difference

In the book of former US President Bill Clinton, he writes that our common humanity is more important than our interesting differences. He also discusses our interdependence among each other regardless of race, religion, political philosophy or fans club affiliation. We cannot escape each other’s problems. These thoughts and many more brought me to Jesuit Volunteers Philippines.

Here’s a letter I got from my dear friend Nini Santos Borja who shares my angst and lust for life.

My dear Boy:

Someplace deep within me, I carry every story

I have ever heard, every story I have ever lived,

Every story I will ever need.

A month ago, we were discussing a concept you had in mind for Fr. Bill Kreutz, SJ and his brainchild, the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation or JVP. I must admit, then, all I knew of JVP was that:

1) It is a pioneer in the Philippine volunteer sector, committed to helping make life better through volunteer service and nation-building for the past 28 years.

2) It recruits and trains college graduates and young professionals to teach and uplift the lives of less fortunate Filipinos in the mission areas of Nueva Ecija, Eastern Samar, Bukidnon, Palawan and South Cotabato, for at least one year.

3) It is mainly supported by local and foreign donations from institutions and generous individuals.

At first it seemed like another well-meaning endeavor — that we are inclined to dispense a quick praise and a fat check for all their troubles. But we felt this one was asking more than a perfunctory response from us and that we must minister to an inner need as well. As so, in your media savvy way, the event blossomed into a two-hour exploratory talk about giving and sharing of one self, of one’s time, of one’s possession, one’s talents and gifts. In the words of JVP executive director, Edlyn Kalman, you wanted the event to be a “celebration of goodness, something inspiring amidst all the other news we’ve been hearing.”

It was most inspiring to listen to JVP volunteers spoke of their various experiences:

Joy Belmonte-Alimurong taught in Bukidnon and her experiences contributed to the things she is doing at present for children and women particularly in the fields of education and family integration

Rene San Andres is back to serving the students. As the Ateneo’s asst. dean for student affairs, he imparts value formation through building leaders, finding workers for the vineyards and living the faith that does justice.

Nicky de Lange served as a high school teacher for a year and welcomed challenges that he has never experienced during his entire life — doing household chores, drinking rainwater, teaching without books, walking hours to get to the next town, delivering sermons to the community when priests were not available on Sundays.

PJ Mariano, the youngest of the volunteers spent a year away from home teaching English to Lumad children in Bukidnon.

Jesuit volunteers have been sent to the Catholic Social Sciences Center in Eastern Samar for at least five years. Its director, Mario Ian Mosquisa is a former JVP volunteer.

Lolita Delgado-Fansler and the Delgado family donated P1-M endowment fund to JVP and the Nellie Delgado Endowment Fund sponsors a Jesuit volunteer yearly.

“Ruined for Life” these volunteers were aptly labeled. Their stories were timeless themes of human life and striving. Yes, these were real stories, stories we could taste, and feel and see, stories that challenged our sensibilities, scared us and yet assured us of the rightness and order of all creation.

Fr. Bill Kreutz, SJ math titan that he is has built a nest of compassionate, intelligent and driven individuals that he has widely nurtured and sustained through the years.  JVP as I understand it now is a celebration of human kindness, in the true spirit of service for others.

Our future reunions can be centered on advocacies that truly bring us together, provide us opportunities to hear more stories and to respond from the heart. We can teach our children the value of service and compassion, of  spiritual pause, of faith, if we take time to learn it ourselves.

Your friend,

Nini Santos Borja

Thank you Nini. Simply said, each one of us can do something to make a difference. All we have to do is, do it.