Trazo, Shanti Malaika S.

II – BECE

A Reflection on Volunteering

Volunteering was not new to me. Having both missionary parents had me exposed in
volunteering works at a very young age. Having them, I was inspired and imbibed the heart and
mind for service. With their work, I got the chance to meet new people, inspire by their stories,
live with them and help them in our own ways. Being with them and joining their mission to
serve, volunteering became my passion.

In twelfth grade, I was moved and aspired to become an Arrupe volunteer because of the
sharing of Ma’am Tricia Firman in our class. That was why when I entered first Year College I
applied in becoming an Arrupe volunteer. Thankfully, I was so blessed to pass the qualifying
exam, interview and assessment. The last stage was the Ateneo Student Exposure Program. I
experienced it for six days living with a foster family experiencing their lifestyle and three days
of processing our experiences. With my life-changing experience in the Ateneo Student
Exposure Program (ASEP) in Compostella Valley, I realized that volunteering entails sacrifice. It
could challenge you to be out of your comfort zone. The ASEP experience was challenging for
me because I was away from my family for a few days and I had separation anxiety. Even
though it was challenging, there, I saw God from the people I met and how they treated us kindly
and welcoming though we are not part of their family or their community. They accepted us
wholeheartedly. There, I realized that truly to be human is to love. There, I met friends that
turned into a family and saw different perspectives. There, I heard heart-warming stories and
their dreams, relate to some life experiences and saw the reality in our country on poverty. There,
I realized that our life’s purpose was not just to live for ourselves but also for others and
especially for God. I realized that genuine happiness and the feeling of being beloved was not
found in grand things but in the mundane things, small acts of kindness and from the warmth and
care given by the people you love and the people you just met but who made a significant impact
in your life that changed you for the better. I also realized that I live to love and serve the Lord
by becoming a woman for others.
 In Ma’am Darleen’s talk on being a volunteer teacher, I was reminded on my Ateneo
Student Exposure experience. She was right in saying that volunteering was a call. I was moved
by her when she cried and shared her volunteering experience in Myanmar. I agreed when she
shared that volunteering can bring you your greatest joy and it can transform you in having a
new life. With her talk, I now understand that truly volunteering is love in action and it is loving
God by serving humanity. In being a student volunteer, I hope I can inspire people, keep the fire
burning, continue exploring my why and where I can be of most help.