I think I overstayed, I think I’m overdue, and I think I’m over age for this. I’m referring to a Christian Life Program called the Youth for Christ (YFC).
Last night, I attended our last Club Praise in YFC. It is an event where we gather the former members of our group and as well as the recent and former coordinator.
But before I continue, I might as well give a glimpse of my 8 years of YFC life.
The Start
It was May 2002 when I first joined this organization. I was about 12 years old then and I was also the youngest in the group. There are 2 main reasons why I joined: first is that my parents are a member of Couples for Christ, a sort of a mother group of YFC, and second, I thought at first, it was fun.
To be formally initiated, I must first have to undergo a 3-day camp, the YFC Youth Camp.
At the day of the camp, I felt that I am important, that I will find a lot of big brothers and big sisters to take care of me. Upon graduation in the camp, I noticed that the whole YFC community in our chapter is like an ecosystem.
The life after the camp was never been easy for me. As what I’ve said, it is like an ecosystem. It has a sort of a food chain. It has its prey and a predator. The preys are those newbie that are not “in”. On the other hand, the predators are those who are cool, they have the latest gadgets, have the coolest out fits etc., in short, they are those who are on top of the food chain.
Unfortunately, I classify myself then on the prey group. Every time I attend a meeting or an assembly, I always feel alone, I always find someone to accompany me so that no one will see me alone.
In one corner, there were the predators, bragging on the cool stuffs that they have and recruiting other potential predators. While on the other corner, there are the minority groups, those who don’t have anything to brag, the preys. This social stratification in the group made me sick.
Because of the social system that lingers in this group, I decided to stop serving, even though my parents would not allow me to.
But I don’t want to blame it all on the predators and system for me being alone in my early YFC years. I might as well blame myself for being passive being too quiet.
MY YFC GOLDEN DAYS IN YFC
Three years passed when I decided to be active in YFC. I remembered, it was Rhyss’ camp that urged me to join again. At last, I will have a companion every time we’ll have our assembly (that will be Rhyss).
Rhyss’ 3-day camp was fun. I didn’t realize how much fun it is. It’s quite tiring, but it was all worth it. After that camp, I attended almost every assembly that followed.
Because I became active, our coordinators assigned me to be a household head. At first, it thought it was easy, but then, it was not. Now, tables are turned. Before, I was the member that needs a lot of convincing power from my heads for me to attend. Now, I’m the leader who is running-out of convincing power for my members, so that they will attend assemblies.
After my shot in being a household head, my coordinators assigned me to be the program leader of AUF-Campus Based. There, I did have a hard time. The administration of the University won’t allow us to penetrate again in their community. My leadership in YFC, in different sectors, are all epic fail.
Though my leadership skills were not successful, unlike before, this time, I felt the feeling of belongingness which I failed to feel in my first years in this community.
GOOD MEMORIES AND NOTHING ELSE
My YFC experiences are not all in gloomy days, most of the time, there were also rainbows and butterflies.
Here are the conferences in YFC which I had my best memories at:
- International Leader’s Conference 2008-
Tagaytay City - Household Leader’s Training – Magalang Farm
- Regional Conference –
Tarlac City - Provincial Conference –
Camp Olivas - International Leader’s Conference 2010-
Baguio City - Provincial Conference 2006 – Arayat
- Household/Birthday Party – July 25, 2009 – Our home
- Core Night Out- Club Bossa
- One Blood, One God –
Shanghai Palace - Regional Conference – Nueva Ecija
International Leader's Conference 2010-Baguio City
One Blood, One God Club Praise --Shanghai Palace
Core Night-Out--Klub Bossa
Household/My Birthday Party
Household Leader's Training-- Magalang Farm
International Leader's Conference 2008-- Tagaytay City Supposed to be Discovery Camp – Our home
Most of the time, no matter how beautiful or tragic the story is, it always have to end to give space to a new epic. My 8-year stay in YFC is a series of good and not so good experience, nevertheless, it thought me how to reach out, to stay outside of my comfort zone, to have a strong faith in the Catholic God, and have the chance to meet true friends that are indeed hard to find.
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