CYA Action Update (2014)

CHRIST’S YOUTH IN

VOLUME 19 ISSUE # 1

ACTIONUPDATE

christsyouthinaction.com

EYES ON THE PRIZE

IN THIS ACTION UPDATE 3

A Message from CYA’s President Raoul Roncal

Have you ever tried getting into a habit of exercising? Desired to run in a marathon?

A helpful tip given to me when I started training in the 90’s was, “Begin with baby steps.” I was taught not to push myself to run the whole 10 kilometers immediately, but to just run for 15 minutes every day, without thinking how far I can go. As time progressed, I felt strong enough to do a 5-kilometer run 5 times in a week. To date, I have finished one 42-km race, two 21-km races, seven 10-km races, and three 1.9 km swim legs for Ironman relay competitions.

In living the Christian life, we want to take big leaps in living for the Lord. But similar to running, we need to start with baby steps. Daily prayer time? Start with 10 minutes a day for a week. Then, do it again and

again till you find yourself praying for an hour. Being a witness for Christ?

Ask a friend how he is and share your recent big blessing. Talk to as many friends as you can, and you will find yourself influencing many of them.

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Taking Flight In God’s Time Summer Update Unfazed Fervor Worth It Big Dream

Saint Paul encourages us to keep pressing on toward our goal. Do so a step at a time. And be surprised how far these baby steps will take you.

See you at our heavenly finish line!

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

Raoul Roncal, President The Philippine Foundation of Christ’s Youth in Action

mark your calendars

SEPTEMBER Sept. 6-7 Harvest Conference SMX Convention Center

Sept. 27-28 CROSSROADS RETREAT St. Michael’s Retreat House

OCTOBER

Oct. 24 CROSSROADS REUNION

MONTHLY

NOVEMBER

Nov. 16 CYA 34TH ANNIVERSARY Nov. 23 CATCHFIRE RALLY Araneta Coliseum

YOUTH CENTER ACTIVITIES Asian Social Institute (ASI), 1518 Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila

MOVIE TUESDAYS Every week, 5PM

COFFEE HOUSE Once a month, 6PM

GO LONG

Sister’s Event 4th Monday, 4-6PM

TAKE CHARGE

For Board Exam Reviewees 2nd & 4th Friday, 7:30PM

TAKING FLIGHT “To show the Atenean who God is.”

In July 2013, 5 young freshmen heard Raoul Roncal, Theology professor in ADMU, as he shared his vision for CYA in the Ateneo. It seemed far-fetched, realizing that CYA was not yet a recognized organization in Ateneo. Little did they know that that vision will be taking flight in just a year’s time.

One of those in the audience was Jet Tamin, a BS Management Engineering student hailing from Malaybalay, Bukidnon. Jet and his family are members of Ang Buhing Pulong (The Living Word), a Catholic Covenanted Community. Jet attended the Crossroads Retreat in August 2014. Upon seeing how big and lifegiving CYA is in other universities, his zeal to help build CYA in Ateneo grew.

Through food, football and ultimate frisbee games, strong relationships were built. Prayer meetings were a time to worship and give thanks together.

Exactly after a year from when Sir Raoul shared his vision, CYA has been granted the request to be a recognized organization in the Ateneo and to participate in the school’s recruitment week last July 9-11. Jet, alongside with other 5 core team members, set up a booth to invite students to join CYA. In just a span of 3 days, they collected 60 sign-ups.

“I believe it’s the right time for CYA to rise again in the Ateneo because a lot of students are in need of God and looking for spiritual growth. There are students wanting to know God more and I believe that we can offer to help these students get to know our God,” This is Jet’s personal vision for CYA this year.

A few years after leaving UST, Jeka was invited to a Build to Last (BLT) Series given by Lingkod, a partner outreach of CYA for young professionals. During the BLT series, she felt the Lord call her to be more than what she was, to really let go and let God. According

Jet Tamin is part of the core team for CYA in Ateneo. He is active in a number of organizations.

Jet has always dreamt of studying in the Ateneo. What he later realized was God has put him in this school, not just to study, graduate, and land a job after. He was sent to this university to be part of something bigger, to show the Ateneo who His God is.

IN GOD’S TIME Graduation marks a person’s entry to the “real world”. It also marks the time when a CYAer is given the opportunity to live out our motto: “Kay Kristo Buong Buhay Habambuhay”. This was the case for Jeka, a Thomasian CYA alumna. Her class was invited to attend the Christian Life Program (CLP). She attended but admitted that she was not so active in CYA, being in engineering. Jeka getting to know CYA during her college years, however, turned out to be a seed that God has planted in her heart.

To show how they are already making an impact, one of the new participants at their general assembly last July 25 said, “Out of all the 11 organizations in the Ateneo, where I am a member, this is my first time to experience such a welcoming environment! From the moment, I entered the door, people are approachable and friendly. Amazing!”

by Ryan Morales

to her, when she let Christ enter her life, just as St. Paul said, it is not her who lives, but Christ who lives in her.

“I felt the Lord telling me to do more.

during a Regional Leaders’ Training Conference.

After a few more years, the Lord revealed to Jeka what was the “more” He had in store for her. She was recently installed as the Lingkod Greenhills Branch Woman Moderator.

The Lord affirmed her, inviting her to soar high with Him and that God will never leave her empty, filling her with unspeakable joy and overflowing love.

Looking back, she remembered a line her professor who invited them to the CLP said, “Nothing and no one is an accident. Everything happens for a reason.” All that happened were part of God’s plan, where the seed He planted will bloom best, all in God’s time.

I heard the Lord saying, ‘Jeka, you can be more than you think you can be, believe in yourself as you believe in Me,’” she shared her realizations

Jeka Ong is a civil engineer who studied in UST and attended CYA then. She is now serving as the branch woman moderator for Lingkod Greenhills.

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households

summer games

summer training conference & national leaders’ training conference

CYA SUMMER ACTIVITIES SPONSORS

PRODUCT SPONSORS STAR 360 PHILIPPINES

unfazed

A Sharing on the Summer Household

by Bea Morales

WORTH IT

Household, n.; - Sisters (or brothers) living together and basking in God’s presence, while being changed from one degree of glory to another. that they were seeking to live out the same life I was trying to live out, which was a life centered on God, and this made me want to journey together with them. Waking up early, praying and worshipping, and enjoying meals with them helped me get back on track and set out to fulfill God’s purpose for me.

The next time God calls me to do something, I am unfazed and ready to serve, ready to transform other lives, the same way the household and the sisters have served as instruments in transforming mine.

CHANGED. This is the theme of the sisters’ household 2014.

As challenging as it seems for change to happen in just less than a month, I found myself transforming into a woman no longer fazed by the purpose God has set out for me.

This started out with simple things such as being brave enough to commute and be squished in the trains, developing the perseverance to do house chores and even reaching out to the kids we met during our Payatas outreach.

Eventually, through the talks, sessions and my own prayer time, I was encouraged to behold God’s glory so I

A Sharing on the Kairos Summer Games

“To be transformed from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Cor 3:18) That is the line which the UMC hub (Unified Manila Chapter) really took to heart. When I was leading UMC as the Team Captain for Summer Games, aside from bagging the trophy, what I wanted the most was for the team to see their true potential, at least in the area of sports. Also, since UMC consists of different schools in the Manila area, what I envisioned for them is to see the beauty in working together to pursue a common goal.

As the Team Captain, I personally had to step up in terms of leading people and motivating them. I believed that God had helped me share the passion I had in sports, as I never had 6

can be more like Him every day, and this was not something to be intimidated by. Because of the relationship I had developed with the sisters, I realized

FERVOR imagined UMC to explode with as much enthusiasm, power, and fervor, as they had during the two days of the Kairos Summer Games. Despite the many compliments I received in leading UMC, I truly believe that it was God, and the people from UMC w h o made such a feat possible – that our hub is indeed a force to be

Bea is a freshman at University of the Philippines – Diliman taking up BS Business Administration and Accountancy.

by Biboy Leong

reckoned with. I only helped them dream it and encouraged them as their leader to achieve it. Although we did not come out as champions, we attained relationships built on hard work and hard times, a sense of identity in a solid, united group made of students coming from different schools, and individual growth. I believe that each UMC athlete at the 2014 Kairos Summer Games grew in character and heart during that time, which was our main goal at the very beginning, to strive not to be better than others, but to be better than we were yesterday.

Biboy just graduated from the De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). He is currently on a missionary year, serving in different communities including CYA.

A Sharing on the Summer Training Conference

by Laurence Binay “The call to discipleship is costly.”

Bro. Jim Orbe said this in one of his talks during the Summer Training Conference (STC). And this is a statement I can really attest to.

Being at the STC was a great opportunity for me to grow more in my spiritual life and in my convictions.

There were different tracks offered during the 4-day conference; I was assigned to attend the “Discipleship” track. At first, I questioned as to why I was at that track. Even after a few

A Sharing on the National Leaders’ Training

by Jeena Amoto

sessions, I was still asking why. But, upon reflecting, I believe God has put me on that track for a reason, for such a time as this. I realized that God was trying to tell me something, to do something. God has called me to be His disciple.

The call to discipleship being costly has never been more real to me. The thought of having to leave my family for the summer to learn more in the summer activities of CYA was hard to bear. It is indeed costly. But I had to answer to God’s call.

One thing I always encounter as I serve the Lord in CYA Batangas, especially now as the chairperson, is people telling me “Seldom do we encounter people like you, real men answering to the call of the Lord.” As God calls me, who am I to say no? Being a disciple is not at all an easy call, but with great confidence and by the grace of God, my YES is will always be worth it.

Laurence, a Marine Engineering student in Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Batangas, is currently the Chairperson of CYABatangas.

bigdream

Coming to NLT, I did not know what to expect. I have only been with CYA for quite some time now, and there I was, standing with leaders of CYA from different provinces around the Philippines. I thought at first that I did not belong in this kind of leadership training, being the youngest and the only CYA delegate from Visayas. But, as the training went on, I was able to meet ate’s and kuya’s who inspired me and I was able to get a lot from the talks and discussions.

We were reminded that ordinary people can be martyrs, saints and

missionaries in our own little ways, and to make it a priority to do good to better the life of others. With this priority in mind, I was also encouraged by the truth that age does not matter when spreading God’s word. During this NLT, I know that God has called me to make it my life’s mission to spread His Good News to others and to bring more young people to God’s Kingdom.

The NLT experience gave me a perspective of a bigger picture of CYA and the Lord’s work, not just in my school or in Visayas, but in the

whole Philippines. It stirred in me a big dream for CYA in Visayas. My dream is that other CYA schools will be established in Visayas, strong in membership and in commitment. I know that we cannot immediately fulfill this dream but little by little, with the grace of God and His constant call, this dream can be fulfilled.

Jeena, a 4th year Mathematics student, is currently the president of CYA at the West Visayas State University. She is also an alumna of the Ayala Young Leaders’ Congress 2014.

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is a Catholic movement of young men and women with a mission: to evangelize the youth and train leaders for service of the Church.

Having personally experienced the love of God and the saving power of Jesus Christ, we want to share our renewed faith with other young people, that they may also know, love and serve the Lord.

METRO MANILA: University of the Philippines-Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University. University of Sto. Tomas, Far Eastern University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of the PhilippinesManila, De La Salle University Manila, College of St. Benilde LUZON: St. Louis University (Baguio), Holy Angel University (Angeles), Angeles Foundation University, University of Assumption (Pampanga), Lyceum Philippines University (Batangas), Lyceum International Maritime Academy (Batangas), Batangas State University, San Pablo College (Laguna), Ateneo de Naga University, University of Nueva Caceres (Bicol)

VISAYAS: University of St. La Salle (Bacolod), University of Iloilo, St. Paul University (Dumaguete), West Visayas University (Iloilo), Colegio de la Imamculada Conception, Baybay-FCIC, Riverside College (Bacolod), Our Lady of Annunciation (Leyte) MINDANAO: Xavier University, Liceo de Cagayan University, Mindanao University of Science & Technology (CDO), Capitol University (CDO), Lourdes College (CDO), Cagayan de Oro College-Phinma, University of the Immaculate Conception (Davao), Ateneo de Davao University, Central Mindanao University (Valencia), Bukidnon State University, San Isidro College (Malaybalay), Caraga State University (Butuan), Mindanao State University- Iligan Institue of Technology, St. Peter’s College (Iligan), Sta. Ma. Parish (Zamboanga), Pilar College (Zamboanga) (Iligan), Iligan Medical Center College

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