INSPIRING STUDENTS | How they are making ends meet.

Not all are privileged to go to school, and for some, getting a college degree is a dream far from being achieved. The realities of financial lack give little option but to work and help contribute to the family’s needs. But then there are those who, despite all the impossibilities, resist and refuses to give up, get all the more determined, and are armed with a vision and hope to push forward against all odds. They strive to make ends meet, and they find creative ways to make a living. These are just some of the ways they make ends meet:

Tutorials: One of the opportunities they grab a hold of is offering tutoring services, which may have started from simple sessions with a neighbour’s child to recommendations from relatives and friends. This grows until a network of connections is built and more formal opportunities to tutor are established.

House Chores Services: One of the many options to take into considerations is doing  house chores. You need not go far as the best place to start is within neighbourhood,and within a network of relatives and friends.

Selling: Some of the things I personally did during college was to make and sell homemade sandwiches. I also sold frozen goods supplied by a friend (tocino,embotido, and longanisa), even adobong mani packs. Other students sell perfumes and other goods. One student from STI would sell balut, just to make sure he has his daily allowance.

 Part time jobs and rackets: Some students I’ve met, constantly, make use of their skills such as singing, event hosting, playing musical instruments, acting as event clowns, event coordinators, and even doing random errands for someone.

 Working in a fast food chain: This is one of the most common options for most students, but this is also one of the most challenging. Sometimes, work shifts come before or after class, and because of these challenging schedules, students don’t get enough sleep. One should carefully consider the academic load when entering into a job like this. I had batch mates who took quite some time in college, juggling studies and work as server or cook. When I was a student, my classmates who did this were my constant reminder to be grateful, to be inspired and to persevere.

Call Center Jobs: There are still a few graveyard warriors who continue to inspire many people, juggling their graveyard shift and studies. When I was working at a BPO company, I was surprised to see an employee in student’s uniform, only to find out that after the shift, she would go directly to class. I can only imagine how all her sacrifice was not in vain as I’m sure she has gone far in pursuing her dreams.

Scholarship Grants: There are so many scholarship grant available out there. If you’re a student looking for one, try checking your options starting from the school, barangay program, to the local government and research on non-government organizations focused on helping deserving yet underprivileged youth.

God did not leave us powerless against lack or poverty. The determinant of our richness and success is not our environment nor lack, but in our identity in Christ. Through Jesus Christ, we can rightfully claim every promise of God in the Bible. In Jesus Christ, we will be able to live a storm proof life. In him we are made victorious. At the end of the day, It is the object of our faith that will sustain us and will make us victorious.

HOW TO WELCOME CHALLENGES

Last January, in one of the prayer and fasting lunch services at Victory Ortigas, a random lady approached me to offer prayer, which I gladly welcomed. The first part of her prayer came this way:

“Welcome Challenges this year”

I could not recall the rest of her prayers. But it indeed struck me, because it was clear to me that God was speaking through her.
Doing ministry is not easy, It can be very overwhelming and I have honestly come to a point of pleading to God to take it away, or at least, make it a bit easier. It was a breaking point. But every time I talk with God, He constantly reminds that it is He who orchestrates everything in my life, including the overwhelming challenges in the ministry. It is He who placed me here and that He did not make a mistake in assigning me that weight for the task.
Looking back at that time of prayer with the lady, I realize how God revealed to me my response (which is fear) to the potential challenges that will come my way this year. This made me ask myself, “so how should we welcome challenges?”

Pondering on this question, here are some of the points which came to mind:

1. Recognize that all challenges that come to you are allowed by God.

· Go direct to God above who entrust this to you. Seek Him with all your heart. Ask to give you wisdom and guidance on how to handle the challenge. Recognizing that all these challenges were allowed by God, will make you see that it is also God who can deliver you out of it. Take to heart that it is God−ordained.

2. Respond with the right heart.
· How we respond to challenges matters. We can either keep on complaining or take on the challenges and thank God. As God has entrusted the challenges, He will enable you to perform it. Heart check is crucial as we respond in this journey. God is maturing our faith and relationship with Him.

3. Be courageous and strong. 
· God’s Word to Joshua, as he took on the new leadership role was “Be very strong and courageous in all your challenges.” Remembering that God is with you in every step of the way will encourage you to be strong and courageous. Do not be intimated with what will come your way, for the Lord your God is with you.

   4. Be excited for what God will teach you through your challenges. 
· Keep in mind that this faith journey comes with amazing learnings and revelations, no matter how difficult and impossible it may be. One of the benefits of facing challenges is breaking of wrong mindsets. Most of the time I find myself limiting an unlimited God, then I repent and realize how God is expanding my faith.

We are just in the first quarter of 2017 and I find myself delightfully excited to what comes my way. Do not close doors yet for challenges, for God is mighty in your life and He will deliver you through it.