We just finished our first day, the Orientation to Gawad Kalinga, a sort of GK 101 which went well and now we're ready for Day 1 of our immersion-build program in Iloilo.
The 6 participants include:
Helena - first got acquainted with GK while doing a research in Boston and met Peachy, Therese and Junnie during a benefit concert to start funding a GK Village. She is a native of Poland and hopes to make this, her 2nd sortie to the Philippines a productive stay. She has gone to GK villages in Nueva Ecija and other parts of Luzon. This is her first time to do a build in Visayas. She has spent 4 months in 2008-09 serving as a GK advocate while doing her research.
Butz - will be experiencing his first attempt to do a build for Gawad Kalinga. This 22-year old Pangasinense is excited about the prospects of experiencing sharing his time and talent to his fellow countrymen and share this with others.
Elaine - has had the most number of years of experience with GK. She has participated in other GK activities in the past as part of YFC and now as a SFC. She currently works in Fort McMurray in Alberta. She hopes to make this immersion-build experience shared to as many friends upon her return to Canada in mid-August.
Brian - is also from Fort McMurray, Alberta, and also moved from Toronto to Fort Mac. He is a member of Singles for Christ and hopes to make this first build as a way for him to give something from himself to the poor.
Michaela - or Mica is a sibling of 2007 GKYB participant, Therese and is the youngest of the delegation. Her youthfulness is shown in her desire to share her talents as a form of expression and a way to reach out to the youth of the Philippines. She is from Toronto and will be a spokesperson for the youth in her school and community after this stint.
For the third straight year, Junnie will be the team's Adult companion while Dondi will serve as their full-time GK worker. Their experience in handling the logistics and serving as the "big brothers" to GK Youth Build participants has been instrumental in making the experience of more than 30 youth participants in the past years worthwhile and the deepening of their desire to help the poor to be the outcome of this 7-day event.
This team has had tremendous help and support from the Core Team in Toronto and in Iloilo, with no less than GK Youth Build co-founder Peachy Forbes welcoming them after a 3-hr activity at the GK office in Mandaluyong.
Today marks the first day of the 2009 event and everyone is excited. God has paved the way for these youth to be the beacon to evangelize more youth to take on the challenge that Christ has started and that of loving the poor.
Continue watching this space for more updates!
Iloilo here we come.
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