An article i submitted to the ayala foundation for the 75 new young leaders

My Life Changing Moment

Excitement enveloped my whole being when I received the news that I made it to the final cut of the AYLC 2006. I could not possibly imagine that I made it and I thanked God for the rare opportunity and a blessing to be part of the Ayala Young Leaders Community. Having the chance to work and to meet former student leaders from Silliman University and be a witness as to how the Ayala Young Leaders Congress changed their lives and heed the call for servant leadership. I became so excited to know what made this congress unique and special. Truly, this excitement lingers in me even until today as a teacher and an artist for indeed AYLC is one life changing event that I will forever be grateful of.

The three-day congress is a fully jam packed capsule that really helped me realize things I am capable of and the things I needed to develop and to change as I submit my self to the call of leadership. It was a gathering of different souls yet surprisingly made a great collaboration and indeed a perfect combination. It was as if everybody knew each other for a long time. We shared the same brands of experiences at school and in our respective niche of service; and eventually led us all to the establishment of friendship that we treasure even until today. My Alab 2006 family and my AYLC experience (how I miss them so much!) – the laughter, the tears, the overnight kiligan stories about the cute facilitator and a co-participant, the overflowing ice cream and desserts, the sumptuous food, the freebies, the tour, the extra challenge, the chance in meeting the Ayalas and other prominent personalities in our country, and a lot more – these are just few yet great chances I got to see with in the congress. But what is so important and dear to my heart are the productive things that happened to me and the meaningful changes I did when I got back to Silliman University and to my hometown, Basilan province. It was that point in time were I realized that I needed to do something not just for me to get a standing ovation after a great performance or an award after spearheading an organization or an activity but because I needed to do it for there was the need in doing it.

There was this craving for service. Service without expecting anything in return. Service because you feel good when others are happy, and service because you want to contribute in making this world a better place for everybody even in the simplest way you could, and lastly a realization that with out service, I could not fully appreciate my existence.

Ayala Young Leaders Congress provided us with strong armaments through the different activities with well respected speakers, who are into servant leadership and into the concept of building a better nation. Those speakers handed to us powerful insights which served as an eye opener to what reality holds for the leaders of tomorrow, indeed an awakening moment that there is still hope for this great nation. They gave us a script as to what servant leadership and the responsibility is with in our hands as to how and why it was very fulfilling and necessary for us to put this script into reality.

Ayala Young Leaders Congress opened many doors to me as I realize the many beautiful things that will happen when you share a part of you to others. The beauty of life is actually based on the things you scatter rather than the things you gather as you go on through the complexities of life. And as an Ayala Young Leader I will always have that thinking of becoming a person to others – Yes, this is a statement with a heavy weight when it comes to commitment but then again and again, I for one is a witness to this. I cannot fully appreciate the wonders of life without sharing my gifts, my talents, and my being to others for I believe that is also my way in thanking and glorifying my Creator who shared His life to save the face of the world. Truly it is a celebration having this passion to serve.

Few weeks from now we will embark to the conception of 75 new breed of servant leaders. Surely, this event will be a strong foundation to the new servant leaders as to what they are called for in this world. The 11^th Ayala Young Leaders Congress- one decade and the journey goes on in igniting the flames for change and service. The congress will be a blessing to these new individuals as it was to me and to the entire Ayala Young Leaders Alumni Community.