You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Mt 5:14
CHRIST’S YOUTH IN ACTION ANNUAL REPORT 2018
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR Dear Action Partners, I give praise and thanks to God when I remember you. Thank you for the ways that you have supported Christ’s Youth in Action (CYA) in 2018 through your prayers and financial assistance. In this transition year, we have been able to reach more young people through our annual Crossroads Retreat and our evangelistic programs on our university campuses. CYA has reached the most number of students in the last 3 years. In Manila, there has also been a steady increase in Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon community children getting connected to CYA. A big factor is not only because of the growing number of staffers and student leaders, who have been equipped through our regular training programs and exposed in our summer households and mission trips, but also because of our accreditation in strategic schools such as in Ateneo and De La Salle - Santiago Zobel. With the growing number of young people whom we are reaching in our university campuses, we have been able to invite more students to encounter Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit through our Christian Life Series. Though we recognize a lesser number of students attending our Christian Growth Series and committing to CYA, we remain steadfast as we continue to call our young people into deeper conversion. With the current working board and more alumni actively supporting CYA, there has been a long-term plan to make our mission more sustainable in the coming years. One of the fundraising initiatives that we organized last November 2018 was our first ever Holy Land Pilgrimage, which included many of our CYA alumni. In all these, we thank God for giving us the grace, blessing our work, and multiplying our efforts. We look forward to a year of favor as more young people experience deeper conversion in their relationship with God. With thanksgiving in Christ,
Peter Jess V. Legaspi CYA Director
In This Annual Report 2018 IN REVIEW 4  5 7 9
Where Light Shines Milestones Financial Highlights Building Cities
THE YEAR IN STORIES 11
Changed Lives Change Lives Choose Your Path 12 A Stepping Stone Excellent in His Eyes 13 The Spirit of Service More Mary than Martha SHARING THE LIGHT 14 Become an Action Partner
167 SERVANT LEADERS 418 CORE MEMBERS
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1190
PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
38
MAJOR C I T I E S UNIVERSITIES
1 1 8 YOUTH WORKERS
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These are consolidated numbers from our CYA chapters in the Philippines.
WHERE LIGHT SHINES
Our Reach in 2018 BAGUIO
Other countries:
PAMPANGA
SINGAPORE
METRO MANILA
LAGUNA
BATANGAS
BICOL
MALAYSIA
CEBU
BACOLOD CDO ILIGAN
BUTUAN BUKIDNON
ZAMBOANGA DAVAO
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MILESTONES THIS YEAR’S ACTIVITIES
CHRISTIAN LIFE SERIES The Christian Life Series made me realize that having a deeper relationship with God entails committing myself to Him. I learned to fully surrender myself to Him even if His plans are sometimes not my plans.
KAIROS SUMMER GAMES
TINTIN ALON BS PUBLIC HEALTH UP MANILA
JAN
MAY
MAR
FEB
APR
NATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL
MISSION TRIPS
What really made NYF different from all those other retreats was the atmosphere. Strangers were willing to help strangers into becoming better people and that later God creates a bond of friendship between them. JOSH YOUNG BS MANAGEMENT ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY
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JUN
CROSSROADS RETREAT The joy I experienced during the retreat served as a stepping stone for me to work on my relationship with Him in a deeper way!
TRAINING HOUSEHOLDS
LIV DELA CRUZ SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY - 1 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
ONE PRAISE WORSHIP CONCERT JUL
NOV
SEPT
AUG
CHRISTIAN GROWTH SERIES
OCT
DEC
CYA 38TH ANNIVERSARY
Photos from Danica Alvarez, Rex Morales, Lanz Llobrera, Nikki Gonzales, Daniel de Guzman & Rene dela Cruz
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F I N A N C I A L
TOTAL INCOME P8,985,068
47%
CAMPUS EVANGELIZATION FUND
4%
THE Sword of the spirit (international affiliated COMMUNITY)
7
28%
ANG LIGAYA NG PANGINOON (LOCAL COMMUNITY)
21%
SPECIAL PROJECTS (Including Holy land Pilgrimage)
H I G H L I G H T S
TOTAL expenses P8,903,309
15%
75%
Administration
Mission & CAMPUS EVANGELIZATION
SPECIAL PROJECTS
BREAKDOWN : Campus Evangelization : 57% Mission : 28% Campus Evangelistic Events : 11% Staff Training % Development : 4%
9%
1%
National Operations
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BUILDING CITIES e
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CYA Senior High When I was first introduced to Christ’s Youth in Action, I immediately knew that this is something that I would love to invest my time in. What’s amazing about this organization is that they introduce you to God little by little. It is as if you’re slowly falling in love with someone great and each minute of the process has a bit of excitement.
“God has given me the opportunity to do all things possible and to do them all out of love.” The people I’ve met so far have this “shining light” that they share with others, and I was lucky enough to get a portion of that light. Being a part of CYA has changed my perspective, even on the tiniest things. I can confidently say that understanding the wisdom of God has given me the opportunity to do all things possible and to do them all out of love.
ANDIE DE GUZMAN DE LA SALLE ZOBEL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
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CYA Med School CYA Med is a blessing to me in the form of brothers and sisters who have similar circumstances but have the same zeal and fervor to continue loving and serving God even after undergraduate school. Medical school is tough. As a student in his clerkship year, I face hectic workloads and toxic mental and emotional stress levels on a daily basis, almost without regard to weekends or holidays.
“I CONTINUALLY LOOK TO JESUS AND FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.� I am thankful that I have in CYA Med a family that believes in me, prays for me, and inspires me to work hard and pursue excellence. With their help and support, I continually look to Jesus and follow His example by making it a point to love the patients I receive under my care in the same way that He loved us and to aspire to become God's best doctor for others. Thank you, CYA Med! Kay Kristo Buong Buhay, Habambuhay!
RAYMOND RACELA UP COLLEGE OF MEDICINE INTARMED
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Changed Lives Change Lives! Last January 2018, someone from CYA-UST invited me to the CYA Pampanga Mission Trip and I said sure why not, maybe it will be a good idea to start my year right. It was my first time to attend such an event so it was really a memorable experience for me. Playing with the kids, listening to their stories, giving them food and gifts, and watching them smile are memories I will treasure. But what really hit me was watching the CYA members express their faith those nights they sang their hearts out to God, watching them raise their hands and give love to our Father. Some even shared to me their stories of how God changed their lives. After that mission trip, I felt a change inside me. I became a girl
C H O O S E! Y O U R! P A T H!
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who appreciates the simple things she has. When I am having a hard time, instead of giving up, I learned how to put everything in God's hands because I believe that He will guide me and lead me to the right path. Whenever I am surrounded by temptations, the stories I heard from the people whose lives had been changed when they decided to put God first would suddenly pop into my head and help me avoid those temptations.
“I LEARNED HOW TO PUT EVERYTHING IN GOD’S HANDS.” I became closer to God after the mission trip. The burden inside, the habit of overthinking things, the fear and loneliness inside me, all of those things melted like ice in a day full of sunshine. It was after that Life is full of crossroads. There are easy roads and there are hard roads. There are roads where the destination is unseen and the path is dark. If that's the case, would you continue walking, just stop, or find another road to take? The Crossroads Retreat taught me that the beginning of the journey starts with choosing your path. In your path, some parts will be easy and some parts will be hard. These things will form you into a better you. In this life full of crossroads, God asks me two questions. Firstly, where are you going? You cannot continue your journey if you don't know where it is leading you. You cannot survive the hard roads if you are not aware of what is waiting at the end. Before you choose a road to take, before you make a decision, ask yourself first. Where am I going? Ano o sino yung patutunguhan ko?
trip that I decided to have much more faith in what God can do to my life or in anybody's life. I felt like hope became my best friend in my everyday life because God made me realize that He has His ways and He will never leave us alone. PAULINE GAMBOA BFA PAINTING UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Secondly, for what reason do you continue your journey? You need to understand why you are doing this. Why are you walking and running repeatedly? You need to find reasons to fight and to continue the journey because if you have no reasons anymore, you might stop and just end the journey without finishing it.
“The BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY STARTS WITH CHOOSING YOUR PATH.” Life isn't easy. There are many crossroads but in every crossroad, there is always a great encounter. Choose where you want to go. Find your purpose. Find your reasons to continue the fight. ABIGAIL MAE GARCIA BS ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
A STEPPING STONE I was introduced to CYA’s Christian Life Series and to the young Christian community, which became a stepping stone towards a deeper relationship with God. One of the greatest benefits of this process was the many good spiritual companions that God has granted me to have. I thought that I would lose everything by following the path God has laid out for me, but it turns out that I have lost nothing and instead gained a whole lot more a hundredfold. Truly, the journey was much more bearable after encountering the active youth of CYA, we were able to share our crosses with each other and lighten up the burdens that each of us carried. The Christian Life Series introduced me to a community
that I never thought would bring me such great joy, and every time I think about this gift God has given me, I am filled with gratitude. After being able to attend the entire series, I was inspired to take on heavier and more arduous
“I have lost nothing and instead gained a whole lot more a hundredfold.” crosses than I normally would. It was the rocket fuel that propelled me to have a deeper devotion to Mama Mary, to pray the rosary every day, to take up the First Friday and First Saturday devotion, and to be a more devout Christian overall. In all of this, I had companions to journey with me, and for the first time I did not feel alone yet I was also filled with courage!
Truly, there is so much good that comes out of the Christian Life Series, and any serious Christian who longs to have a more intimate and personal relationship with God, should not miss it for the world! PAUL LIBATIQUE BFA INFORMATION DESIGN ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY
EXCELLENT IN HIS EYES others are really consistent in their prayer time while others are really vocal when they express their love of God.
“I WANTED TO BE JUST AS EXCELLENT AS THEY WERE IN TERMS OF CHARACTER AND SPIRITUALITY.” When I entered this year's household, I met different types of brothers who had their own experience of God. Each had a different level of spirituality and each had their own unique way of expressing it. Some brothers are good with building relationships,
As a person that asks a lot of questions and continually seeks for improvement, I wanted to be just as excellent as they were in terms of character and spirituality. I got frustrated at one point because I wasn't meeting the outcomes I expected. I asked God "How can I be excellent in Your eyes?".
Every Wednesday is our fasting day, and we would only drink Milo in the morning and the next meal would be our dinner. On that particular day, my summer class recently ended and I decided to pray more on that day. I entered our prayer room and began to pray after our daily morning prayer. My original goal was to only finish until chapter three on the book of Matthew. Later did I realize that I finished the entire book of Matthew. I didn't realize that I have been praying and reading for 6 hours straight. I knew that this was the answer I was looking for. I could be excellent in His eyes if I abandoned the desires of my body to desire Him more.
JR MANGCOY BS APPLIED PHYSICS UP MANILA
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The Spirit of Service It was almost given that I would be joining CYA as it was the organization for senior high school and college-level youth for our community Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon. Regardless, it was and still is possible for me to just leave. The question that bothered me for some time was: “why should I stay?” Yet the answer came quickly and very simply: I loved to serve and make friends on the way. It was in service that I was able to find the Lord and my calling. There was just something about the stress and the rigor of giving as much as we could, that brought much joy to my heart. This is the reason I decided to continue my stay in CYA, as it gave me the most
opportunities to grow and to share my talents with those that were in need.
“IT WAS IN SERVICE THAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE LORD AND MY CALLING.” I have long been a part of the CYA community and its affiliates, and I believe my brief stay in it so far has regardless helped me grow as an individual. I am part of the CYA music ministry now, serving through my singing. I have also participated in the service team of several retreats. Despite the many things that have been done, I still am looking ever forward to becoming a more integral part of
the community and lifting up more of myself in the spirit of service, and in turn, lifting my talents to God. AWIN CASANOVA
AB PSYCHOLOGY BS BUSINESS MANAGEMENT DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY
More of Mary than Martha
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Even when I spent most of my college life serving and consistently participating in CYA, I realized I was not as prepared as I thought I would be when God called me to serve as a CYA staffer. I was assigned to a completely different hub and barely knew anyone but what made my heart cry out to God was discovering how lacking I am in some areas, even those I’ve always believed I’m good at.
frustration. The manner I was used to seemed ineffective with the students — my suggestions often came out strong, some get intimidated, and I am even playfully called “boss” in some cases. I needed to adapt to teaching what I know instead of doing it myself or imposing how it should be done. Countless times I’d catch myself feeling frustrated and lost saying “Ayaw ko na dito, kaunting months na lang” pondering if I heard God right when I decided to put aside my career plans to be a missionary. In those moments I’d remember the Lord’s message to me “If you want to follow me, leave your home.” Home is the usual standards I’ve set in how I do work, the things I’m confident in, and familiar ways of life – my comfort zones.
People say personality consider it However, it
I wrestled with the Lord in prayer. I realized that part of my prayers was a need to know and a need for control in my service, but mission
I have a Type A and oftentimes I my greatest asset. became my biggest
work is about letting God take the lead of His ministry, being attuned with His mind in serving and doing so with love.
“mission work is about letting God take the lead of His ministry, being attuned with His mind in serving, and doing so with love. “ When I took a different perspective of loving God’s people more than the work, I saw again the joy of witnessing conversion of hearts — a reward greater than any success or praise. I embraced being more of Mary than Martha, being humbled as well as being formed. Being a mission worker is hard work but an honorable one to participate in the ministry to the road to eternity. JANICA JAVIER BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE GRADUATE UP MANILA CYA UST STAFFER
SHARING THE LIGHT
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Help us spread the word about CYA! If you are not able to give at this point, please consider telling others about how they can support us financially and join us in evangelizing and training more young leaders for the service of the church. 14
BEARING THE LIGHT
Kay Kristo Buong Buhay Habambuhay
4/F KORBEN PLACE, 91 ROCES AVENUE. 1103 BRGY. LAGING HANDA, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES TELEFAX 411-3848 cyacorrespondents@gmail.com www.christsyouthinaction.com