Volunteering

I was a child then when my parents had instilled in our minds that the most rewarding life is one in which there is a major element of volunteering and serving others. Volunteering exist to help the community. It gives us an opportunity to change people’s lives, including our own. Ever since I always wanted to support a cause but I know that at this moment I couldn’t afford to donate money. That is why I donate my time instead.

In our school, I am active in my two organizations. One organization is Gabay, wherein we engage in several service projects and volunteer works. Every Saturday we conduct tutorial classes in some remote areas in our town. We also give them food and used clothing. It is a whole day activity from 9 am to 5 pm. Every first Sunday of the month, we conduct a tree planting activity in the foot of mount Isarog. The activity is full of fun because we are able to combine bonding and saving mother earth. Sometimes when we have free time we conduct a clean up drive outside our school campus. Another organization is APSA (Association for Psychology Atenians). We also have tutorials there but we focused more on improving our lives as a whole. We conduct formation and assessing programs wherein the applicants would better understand them selves. In our parish, I am the youth barangay coordinator. Every summer, we sponsor a recollection program for out of school youth. We lead them to God and we let them feel that they are not worthless. As a youth barangay coordinator, I am responsible for the rapport among our members. I am also one of the responsible for seeking funds to support our activities and programs.

From this entire community services and volunteer works, I am grateful that I was given a chance to help other people. In my simple ways, I was able to help lift up their lives. I am happy to be a volunteer because in it I was able to achieved fulfillment. Volunteering teaches me great lessons that I can use to further my self. I learned how fortunate I am to have a kind of life I have now, good health, happy family and loving friends.I was able to appreciate what I have, before I often complained of my clothes, our food and our house but in volunteering I have discovered that while I complained of what little I have there are people who have nothing to put in their stomach, who do not have a roof to spent the night with, who do not have a single garments to protect their body. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is giving from what little I have and not from my excess, that I must live simply so that I could share more with others.