blessed_shaula

         Last week, I was able to watch myself from the video recordings of SURVIVAL GUIDE SERIES that we did last year . I really really had a good and long laugh at it. I could still remember how I would always come late to our rehearsals because I was always not informed beforehand that I would be acting for that day’s play. And I would always come disoriented because of lack of sleep from my hospital duty. It’s really only by God’s grace that I was able to juggle things in my life that time.

        While doing those weird and funny roles, I never thought it  was far more than sending how-to-study messages to our audience and making them laugh as the same time. It was only yesterday that it finally sank into me that our youth today desperately needs direction ASAP. It is just now that everything I do for the youth ministry at Shire and all my prayers for the next generation of this country become so real to me that I can’t even close my eyes nor cover my ears just to lessen the pangs of ignorance around me.

          As an irregular graduating student who is now complying with every requirement that the school gives, I took an oral communication class for the third time. I was put in a class of teenagers who are in their 2nd year in college.  I wanted to cry as my classmates gave their impromptu speeches. We were asked to draw a question from the box then give our answer for two minutes. There were only four of us who were able to consume that very short span of time. The rest were only able to stand there and talk for 15 seconds or less! Can you imagine 2nd year college students who cannot even express their ideas?

            It is really heartbreaking how our culture now is being damaged. I cannot see even a glimpse of hope for these young people. All they could talk about is puro kababawan. One question went like, " What language would you want to speak given the chance that you could study it?" One student said, " Taiwan… uhhmmm… because my crush is Lei." After saying that she went to her seat right away. It was supposed to be for two whole minutes and Taiwan is not even a language for goodness sake! Another student answered  a question which was " If you could choose a time in history for you to live in… which one would you choose?" In a broken grammar she answered like," During the time of my grandparents… 18th century. After the Japanese and Americans are not here. I like because there are no gadgets that time and foods do not have preservatives." My goodness, I couldn’t even understand right away what she was trying to say though her voice was very loud while she was very poised and confident with what she’s saying. This one, she didn’t only make English haloobalooha but also  made history all mixed up! She didn’t even know that 18th century is the 1700’s.

               I have nothing against these people. I do not look down on them nor make fun of them. The truth is I really worry for them. My heart bleeds for them. What has happened to us? Where would we all be after a couple of years? We are bound to sink and stink if we would not do anything.

               I was so thankful that the question I got was, " If you were to change a system in our country, what would that be?" The first thing that came into my mind was of course the education system. Right there and then I tried to inspire them and let them realize that we should all be good students because the future of our country depends on us.  Two minutes is very short but I know I was able to say  the gist of my sentiments for them.  After my short speech, the whole class cheered so loud. I know this time it’s not sarcasm nor admiration from these teenagers.  As I looked at their eyes, I felt their hunger for direction and inspiration.