KC25 Reflection by Christian, RMMC Gensan

I’ve been a Christian for a long time. I used to be part of the Youth Officers, the Music Team, I also led songs in church, and even helped in technical areas. I was basically involved in everything. But that didn’t mean I was already living righteously. I realized later on that I was doing all of those things for my own self-interest. I didn’t have a strong foundation in the Lord at that time, and eventually, I reached a point where I felt tired and spiritually empty.

One day, a friend invited me to go to a bar. At that point, going to church already felt draining for me. I gave in. That was the start of me drifting away from God and getting exposed to the things of the world. I’m not proud of it, but the truth is, the more I got involved in the world, the more I surrounded myself with people who had unhealthy habits. Eventually, I became one of them. As time passed, I began to question my faith. I prayed and said, "Lord, if You are real, please change me," because I knew deep in my heart that I couldn’t do it on my own. The journey wasn’t easy, especially when I chose to take true repentance seriously. But God answered my prayer. I knew He was real because I truly felt His grace.

One day, I just lost interest in the things I used to enjoy in the world. That’s when I began to take better care of my life and started to align my desires with God's will. I joined KC because I became aware of how much more I needed to learn. I couldn’t be equipped if I wasn’t being trained. I’m incredibly thankful that I got to experience KC. The training was very intentional, and it was not something you could take lightly. I was surrounded by people who were also leaders. Instead of feeling pressured, I felt more encouraged to grow in my faith and character.

I realized that I don’t just believe in God, but I also want to live out His plans and desires for my life. There were so many highlights throughout this journey. One of them was learning about the Biblical Framework, which helped me see how my life fits into the bigger story of the Bible. We also studied worldview, which really opened my eyes to see life in a deeper way, especially in how I view people who are broken or still lost in life. Being a Christian Filipino is not easy. I also learned about the kind of character a Christian should have.

I came to understand that it's not an accident I was born Filipino. Living in this country is actually a big opportunity, because we get to meet people from so many different backgrounds and beliefs. And I believe that is also part of God's purpose for my life. In the Community Involvement, I thank the Lord because I once prayed to be part of the Badjao Community, and He answered that prayer. At first, I was nervous because of what I had heard from others, but when I met them, I realized those things weren’t true at all. They were so warm, welcoming, and joyful even though they had just gone through a fire. During our program for the kids, I was deeply moved by how grateful and kind they were. I came to bless them, but I was the one who felt more blessed. Being with them helped me see the world differently. They were full of joy, easy to talk to, and rich in heart. Our last day felt so short, and it was hard to say goodbye. But I’m thankful, because through them, God opened my eyes even more to how I should treat others with love, respect, and compassion.

Before, I used to dream of becoming a leader in things like school activities, but those dreams didn’t come true. Now I understand why. It’s because God had a bigger plan for me, a plan where I would use His name to help lead others to salvation. Reaching this point in my life was not by accident. I’m here not just for the sake of it, but to be built up in faith and to grow deeper in God’s presence. As a pioneering student, I know this is not the end of my journey. In fact, this is just the beginning. I used to look down on myself and think I couldn’t do much. But now, I feel courage and more willing to do things that will bring glory to the Lord. I know the road ahead won’t always be easy, but I don’t want to live in fear. God is with me, and He always reminds me of His promise that He will never leave me, no matter what happens.