Transformative Experience

Being a Pentecostal Christian, especially as a youth, is not easy. I’ve been through many trials and tribulations and I still do to this day. Because of my beliefs, I’ve also encountered many different experiences that has really shaped me into who I am today. An experience that has really transformed who I am and my views on the world was going to the Philippines in 2015.

Prior to that, I did one semester of 10th grade at Burton, and because I was staying in the Philippines for over 3 months, I transferred to homeschooling. I struggled a lot back then; especially with my identity and “fitting in”. I was different from a lot of the people at my school, especially because of my spiritual beliefs. I’ve always thought negatively about it. I thought constantly about how unlucky I was, and I would even go against my own self and my beliefs just so that I could fit in with everyone else. I was confused and lost in this society, thinking that any bit of difference I had to everyone else wasn’t okay.

I went to the Philippines in January of 2015. From what I knew, I was going to be staying at my grandma’s house. I didn’t think too much about it, I used to live in the Philippines, and despite their high numbers in poverty, I didn’t think I was going to be living in it. When we arrived, my grandmother’s house was not like I remembered. I didn’t see things much as poor or rich when I was a kid, so that’s probably why. My lola’s house was very small, maybe the size of a master bedroom. I lived there and my tita’s house- which was even smaller and less put together. I didn’t realize that they were really living in poverty, that they were really struggling to make a living and have food on the table. What surprised me the most about this was that they were so content. Maybe even happier than I was at the time, despite their financial and living situations. I remember asking them, why are you guys so happy? Aren’t you stressed out? They’ll always say the same thing, that money is not the measure of happiness. You should not depend your happiness on money, or temporal things. It changed my view point. I did complain a lot about my life here in America, but after being in the Philippines, I am so grateful for the life I have now. I also noticed that when I truly experience who I am, I am more accepted by those around me. I become more confident in who I was after that trip and I learned to be grateful everyday, and that life is indeed a blessing. If not for this experience, I would not be the strong person I am today. I am proud of being a Christian, and I am happy with what I have.