Reflections of a Jesuit Volunteer

Right after college, I had the chance to volunteer for one year and got assigned in a hard-to-reach fisherfolk community in Dapdap, Calauag, Quezon (aka live in a beachfront property for one year). I didn’t know what I got into then and I didn’t know how that experience would change me. It’s interesting to reflect almost 10 years since that time (that was 2011, ang bilis) the things I gained along the way that I didn’t expect. I would like to summarize the unexpected gifts into two main concepts: perspective and community.

Perspective

Even if I lived in the province from birth to high school, I lived mostly in city centers. Tuguegarao is the capital of Cagayan where I attended my grade school. The same with Bayombong, the capital of Nueva Vizcaya, where I spent my high school. Both were city centers so subconsciously I had a view before that Philippines looked like Tuguegarao, Bayombong and Manila. Little did I know that this is not the case for the majority of the Philippines.

During my volunteer year, I had a chance to live in a barangay a boat ride away from banks, hospitals, universities, bus terminals, government offices, etc. There are so many institutions easily available to us in cities that we tend to take for granted. I am very grateful that for one year I was able to experience and immerse myself in the reality of a typical Filipino. It’s a bit difficult to explain but after that year, I took on a different lens and saw people in a different light. I also became more grateful of what I have. I learned that we can live on so little yet remain happy. I saw life from a different point of view. I guess it’s a gift to gain a new perspective.

Community

Last year, the Jesuit Volunteer Philippines community conducted a recollection (sort of a retreat) one Saturday. It was my first time to attend such a gathering. In the event, there were people from different batches: Batch 3, Batch 25, Batch 32 (my batch), and Batch 38. It was a group composed of various ages with very different issues in life. When the sharing came, I was surprised that I shared everything (okay not everything, but some serious and pretty personal stuff). Maybe it’s the facilitator, or the venue or the mood but for some reason I opened myself up.

Some people in the event where people I met for the first time but somehow I felt we were close and had an automatic rapport with each other. It’s then that I understood how it feels like to belong to a community. It’s a gift to be a part of a community.

Consolation

The opportunity to see things in a new light and the chance to be part of a community were unexpected gifts for that one eventful volunteer year. I am still amazed how, long after my volunteer year happened, I still talk about it - still transformed by it little by little. It’s a year that changed me as a person in a big way, a year that I will always look back and ground myself to.

*** If you are interested to be a Jesuit Volunteers, you may visit:

http://bit.ly/JVPBatch41VSPApplicationPack

or

https://www.facebook.com/JVPFI/