GFI's Impact to a volunteer

Jocelyn Robles, GFI Mindanao Coordinator, was given the opportunity to be the guest speaker for the 2012 graduation ceremony of the International Care Ministry (ICM) of the Philippines held last March 20, 2012 at General Santos City. The graduates are of ages 5-6 coming from different towns of General Santos City, South Cotabato and Sarangani Province. The graduation theme was: "Molding the Young Minds, Developing the Culture, Changing the Future". Ms. Robles was chosen to be the guest speaker due to her volunteer work with the Galing Foundation, Inc. that shares the same advocacy of fighting illiteracy as early as pre-schoolers especially among the indigent communities. Her complete message is shared below:

“Molding the Young Ones, Developing the
Culture, Changing the Future”
By Jocelyn Carino Robles
Maayong buntag sa inyong tanan! Good morning especially sa mga graduates of ICM. Una sa lahat, gusto ko malaman kung sino sa ating mga parents, visitors, relatives na andito ngayon ang nakaranas o dumaan ng kinder/preparatory school noong tayo ay kagaya sa edad ng mga magigiting nating graduates. Paki-taas ng kamay please at gusto ko na lahat ng graduates natin...tingnan niyo kung sino ang nakataas ng kamay. I asked you to do this because noong ako ay sa edad ninyo, walang preparatory school sa lugar namin kaya di ko naranasan yung kasiyahan, yung laro with classmates, yung hatid at sundo ng parents or ng Yaya/Tita/Tito, yung lahat na natutunan niyo na preparasyon para Grade I.

Ang swerte ninyo na bagong henerasyon at ang dami na opportunities para sa early childhood education. Kaya mga graduates, can you give a big applaud/clap for your parents dahil sa sacrifices nila for you to be in your prep school? Gusto ko yung malakas na clap, clap, clap with a big smile! Oh di ba, you just made your parents smile and as a parent myself of three kids and the two kids still in prep school…alam ko yung feeling ng happiness at fulfillment in every success and learning ng aking mga anak. That is why am so happy just to be here with you all.

Today is a special remembrance of your first step into another level of educational development. Ready na ba kayo for Grade I? Yung mga natutunan ninyo na lessons from your teachers and the discipline and a Godly character of being a child of God dito sa school ninyo will make a big difference in your success once you are in Grade I hanggang you graduate from elementary and move on to High School and even College. Alam niyo na ba kung ano ang gusto niyong “maging” pagkatapos niyo ng school? Sino dito ang gustong maging lawyer, teacher, doctor, engineer, businessman, kapitan ng Barangay, mayor ng Gensan, congressman o kahit na Pangulo ng Pilipinas? Lahat ng yan nagsimula sa munting pangarap ng kabataan na kagaya ng edad niyo. Mararating niyo ang lahat ng gusto niyong maabot sa buhay dahil sa matibay na foundation/pundasyon sa inyong edukasyon na hindi lang nakukuha sa paaralan pero nag-umpisa sa inyong tahanan. The upbringing of each of this graduate today matters a lot in the way they interact with their teachers, classmates, and friends…a very salient character of respect, Godly discipline, Christian love molded in their childhood.

I would like to congratulate the parents for these graduating students too. You did the best you can for your child’s prep school and tomorrow you will face another stage of planning and praying for the elementary school you wanted your child to further his/her educational development. Your role is very vital in the lives of these children because education starts from home. Kids are the way they are in public largely because of what they see, learn and do at ome and their community in general.

For us parents, I would like to share scriptural basis on the guidance for our young ones in Proverbs 3:1-6 (NIV)
“My son, do not forget my law,
Butlet your heart keep my commands;
Forlength of days and long life
And peace will add to you.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And lean not on your own understanding
In all your ways acknowledge HIM,
And HE shall direct your path.”

I hope that we can bridge the gap of the cultural differences of our generation and this highly innovative and technical generation that our kids live in. We need to help them prepare for the opportunities that are ahead of them. Let them explore their skills, their capacity to do extra-ordinary thru their creativity and just be the moral support they can always rely on. Let us make this world, our community, a much better place to live for our future generations thru the
investment for each parent/family of these graduating students.

Graduates, you made your parents so proud of you today. Thank you for having me and congratulations once again! God bless you all!

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Photos courtesy of the International Care Ministry Philippines.