College Kids

Being a recent university graduate, my memory’s fresh of the so-called “best four years of my life”. I had spent the majority of my undergraduate career in Beautiful BC. I’ll admit, those four years were pretty good. Most semesters I had arranged my schedule so that I wouldn’t have to wake up before 10:30 AM Monday to Friday. Even when my course load was heavy, my schedule allowed me to take naps in between classes. Exams, though stressful, were a time for comfort foods and drinking a copiously unhealthy amount of energy drinks. At times, we’d joke that we were living for the weekends. And sometimes, it was true, staying out until early hours of the next day: watching concerts, playing tree tag, bonfires, McDonald’s runs, Seattle day trips, sushi nights, and sometimes just hanging out doing nothing.

But last week, we had the privilege of going to Lucban, Quezon to get a little taste of what it’s like to be a university student in the Philippines. An old friend of my parents, Pastor (Kuya) Caloy took us outside of Manila to check out his campus ministry. (By the way, this guy is an incredible man of God. He reminded us of a modern Paul with the same burning passion to let people know about God, and to help the poor and needy.) After a five-hour bus ride and a one-hour jeepney ride with scenery of rice terraces and a giant volcano, he brought us to the Center across the street from SLSU (Southern Luzon State University). This is where some of the students gather to hang out, nap, do homework, and fellowship with one another.


Although we were only there for five days, we enjoyed bonding with them (and we miss them already!), as they taught us games like Beats 1-10, logic games, listening to them play worship music, and the stories and laughs we shared with each other. The more we got to know them, the more I admired them – not only for their diligence and discipline, but for the incredible amount of faith they had.

Many of the students we met take a full load of courses, with classes almost everyday except Sunday, and anywhere from the early hours of the morning to late hours of the night. They are also involved in clubs and programs at the school. But what truly sets these students apart from their classmates is the fact that school is not just about studies. While their goal is to do well in school, it’s all about spreading the love of God to their fellow peers. Kuya Caloy and Pastor Paul (the two pastors who front this campus ministry) have encouraged them to try and reach the un-reached freshmen. They really attempt to live up to this challenge, with such admirable boldness and courage. Sometimes, they hand out evangelistic tracts at the entrance of the university, invite students to come to the center, or simply befriend their classmates. This isn’t easy for them, either! A lot of them are new Christians who found out about the love of Christ through other students and pastors from the Center. Some of their friends and family have shunned them because they have chosen to follow Christ. Even so, they continue to express their faith anyway.

A number of hardships these students face are constantly present. Poverty is a long-running problem in the Philippines making it hard for students to afford university. To ease the costs, a government official had set up a scholarship fund. Unfortunately, this government figure passed away in a crash, leaving the students out of this much-needed fund. Some of the students we met would work weekends making barely enough to support their needs for the week. And if they didn’t have enough money for the day, they would simply skip a meal or two. Some of them felt a heavy blanket of guilt, debating whether or not they should continue school or go back home to work and support their struggling families. It occurred to me how different our lives were.

Rebecca and I had been busy throughout the week sharing our testimonies on what God had been doing in our lives, as well as leading a few bible studies with some of the students who stayed at the dorm. We focused on 1 John 3 – Love One Another.

As we discussed with the students what it meant to really love one another, I realized that despite our differences we could find common ground here. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it continues to ring true. This kind of love that is talked about in 1 John 3 is the kind that crosses distance and differences. We saw this so clearly in Lucban with all the students we had met. Even though we may come from different places with different stories, that message remains just as relevant.

And so, “Dear children, let us not love in words or in tongue, but in actions and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18.

P.S. Thanks to our donors who made it possible for us to financially support Kuya Caloy’s campus ministry!