Spot A Hero Launched!

It was a good gathering yesterday at Parliament Library between PATAC (Philippine Advocacy Through Arts & Culture) Migrante and GKYB.
It was inspiring to see how the Holy Spirit moves people to serve their fellowmen through their God-given gifts and passions.

We were made aware of social issues affecting the Filipino community through music. Likewise, we were able to share about GKYB and promote the Paraiso movie/Spot-a-hero to a new group of potential advocates. We missed Lori, Peachy and Junnie though...

I think there were some interesting connections made from yesterday's launch. Thanks to Maripi for arranging that opportunity.

Hope to see everyone in our upcoming GKYB activities this spring/summer:
-GK Booth @ Carrasauga Festival - May 23-25
-Paraiso movie showing @ Lourdes Church - June 27
-Community Service within Toronto - June or July?
-GK Walk - Sept 6

See you soon!

To view images from the event, click here

Follow Your Passion

For 2 separate occasions now, the first last April 28, 2008 at Jean Vanier in Scarborough and yesterday, May 9 at University of Toronto, GK Youth Build has been having small sessions with 12-20 secondary students to build on its promise to have more youth hear about an opportunity for them to become modern day leaders.

Yesterday's session was attended by 12 students from 6 various secondary schools as part of the Asian Heritage Month month-long activities. The discussion cum forum was moderated by GKYB Core founders Maripi Leynes and Junnie Arreza and was well received with active discussions and a lot of interesting points coming from the youth.

The results were very encouraging. One of the youth participants intimated we will be invited to their church to speak to their youth group. Another one came up to us and volunteered to have their groups of friends join in the next events that GK Youth Build will conduct.

Indeed, these are welcome and we are excited about the prospects.

If you have schools who want to hear the good news, as well as other stories about Therese's "Bags of Beads" campaign, etc. please email us at gkyouthbuild@gmail.com

Being Youth Again

What a wonderful feeling that is to be young again! Last April 25, Mike Almojuela and Junnie Arreza went with 14 youth dancers to have their taste of dancing in the streets of Toronto.

Well, initially planned to shoot at the Esplanade, it turned out that Ontario Place also had a better vantage point of the CN Tower, thus allowing the video's whole segment to be shot from its hilly entrance.

The youth ages 13 to 17 were so gracious enough to volunteer their time and talent to a worthy cause of being the video background for the upcoming GK Youth Build program called "Spot A Hero" contest. They traipsed, skipped, jumped, and somersaulted their way to what is now to be known in You Tube to be the Toronto-portion of "Spot A Hero" dance video.

Organized by Mica Cruz, a GK Youth Build volunteer, the team from IONA Secondary School was able to fully imbibe the theme of Global Youth Heroism through the dance self-choreographed by the team with Toby Mac's "One World" as background music.

"We plan to have the same video clips shot with various Canadian points of interest from Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal and piece them together to come up with one Canadian video", Elvie Tan, mentioned in late 2007. The plan has now been approved and will launch this coming May 15, 2008.

The video on BETA, or on limited viewing was viewed by 150 in 5 days and was replaced by the current final version with 130 viewers in less than a week. "The beauty about having it in You Tube is that you can link and share with all your friends. This is the objective that we will ask all Canadian youth and volunteers to do when we fully launch this on the 15th of May.", said Junnie Arreza, who shot the video with the help of Mike on handheld camera.

For now, you can see the video by clicking play below.

GKYB Core Team Invited to Ancop-GK Visioning Process

GKYB Core team members were honored to be invited to the Visioning Workshop held at Scarborough last April 19. The event was well attended. Active volunteers, advocates, CFC, SFC and YFC members and of course Ancop-GK officers were one in mind, body and spirit to come up with the vision and mission of Ancop-GK.

"I fully believe that this communion of hearts and minds is a sanctification process and the highest form of connecting all parts of the body with the will of the Holy Spirit, in unison and perfection of the will of the Father.", as Ricky Cuenca, President of AICI, mentioned.

The 6-hour session was an exercise to really center our minds and hearts to how we see Ancop and GK-Canada in the current and coming years.

Greg Forbes facilitated the activity well that we all felt what Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt the power of a few people to transform the world, indeed it is the only thing there ever was."

The GK Youth Build Core Team feels honored by the invitation. Junnie, Michele, Maripi, Peachy and Lori were there to represent the youth volunteers sector of the community. We will continually pray for the success of the GK-Ancop as we will uphold its mission in GK Youth Build!

P.S. As if the morning and afternoon sessions weren't enough, we only had 3 hours to change to our dancing shoes as we hit the floor til midnight during the GK Night of HOPE at Rembrandt in Scarborough. This time, it was less work, more dancing!

Our First Formation Day

The rains stole the thunder away. Yes it did! Last April 12, one of the best contents for a formation that most of us never heard was participated by 11 youth participants, Core Team members and guests at the Good Shepherd Convent at Dufferin and Good Shepherd Court.

Thanks to Lori for putting up 7 modules that will surely prepare the youth volunteers and participant to their journey of not just going back to the Philippines - but also preparing them for challenges in life.

This prompted for the group to unanimously want to share to at least 2 more friends in the next Formation day in late May or early June. We want to share the great experience with more of you. This time, rain or shine, promise? :)

(Click Play to view and listen to the video of Lori's introductions)

GK Youth Build Supports Highway of Peace (H.O.P.E.) Caravan

GK Youth Build Canada is supporting the 3rd Bayani Challenge dubbed as H.O.P.E. 2008 - Building the GK Highway of Peace, an event where nation building is an adventure pushed to the extreme. GKYB team will be represented by good friends who we met from last year's GK Youth Build activities.

Shown here with Junnie who was in the Philippines til April 8 is Jonas, our host in the GK Urban Farm from Cainta.


Of course, who will forget Kuya Dondi ? Both Jonas and Dondi will be part of a team who will join in building communities in the province of Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur on April 21-25, 2008 for 5 grueling days of back-breaking work, tears, laughter and many unforgettable experiences.

The theme for this year is "the more we sweat for PEACE, the less we bleed for WAR".

We will be there praying for you guys - Dondi and Jonas!


Here's the GK Youth Build 2007 contingent with Jonas (far left) and Dondi (behind Jonas) in last year's activity in GK Selecta Village in Cainta.

Meet and Greet :: March 2008

What an enriching day it was. You can sense from our smiles how we were enriched by those who came and shared, including the 4 ones who left prior to the picture taking. We shared and laughed, compared, and validated our experiences bringing us back to a place that has changed our lives - a visit to a Gawad Kalinga village.

As one sharer mentioned, I hope everyone experiences this at least once in their lives...it is totally rewarding.

Thanks to all the sharers, including Seanna, Edelyne, Therese, Peachy and Elvie. More Meet and Greet meetings in May!