John Allen C.

Caballa
LCLSONE C31
Adrian Yrigan

Lasallian Journey Reflection: Lamp Posts

As I existed during the 19 years of my life, I experienced a vast spectrum of experiences

ranging from despair to joy that have molded me to become the person who I am today. From
these experiences are events manifesting the lasallian core values: faith, service, and
communion which have guided me to become a better person.

A series of my lamp posts revolve around a business simulation project back in senior high
school. We established a social entrepreneurship venture which was a business that aimed to
help struggling artists in the Philippines, profits aside.

A lamp post in my life is when our group helped a homeless artist living along the streets of
Ermita, Manila - Edgardo Lam. We gave him a source of profit in return for his shirt design,
which we printed and sold to our market. From this lamp post, I believe that we have mostly
manifested service. Our group served kuya Lam, and society with collective action rooted in the
belief that the common good will be served. From this action, I believe we followed the footsteps
of St. John Baptiste De La Salle who also served the poor.

Despite our gesture to help kuya Lam, complications arose as some Lasallians criticized and
doubted us. This is another lamp post in my life that taught me greatly about Faith. Amidst the
bombarding criticisms that we experienced, we held on to our belief and vision as a group for
we have to know that we will never please everybody. There will always be adversaries, and the
only thing that we have to do is to cling to whatever we think is right and just; we cling to our
mission, striving hard to maintain our faith. Like St. John Baptiste De La Salle who also had
opponents, we were frankly unconscious that we are image-like to him for he fought for what he
thinks is right despite his critics.

Lastly, this lamp post will emphasize on communion. During the course of our venture, many
people helped and recognize the need to help the struggling artists of the Philippines. Like St.
John Baptiste De La Salle, we were also supported by various individuals who are also willing to
join our cause. Some donated paintings to us as funding, some donated materials to our partner
artists, and most shared our cause to their friends and to the digital world.

All throughout, I learned that the Lasallian core values are important as they could further build
our character. Faith gives us a reason, or motivation to do things. Service is rooted from faith
which gives us fulfillment to live. Lastly, communion is our bond with others. Together, the core
values could lead us to serve the marginalized, inspired from a certain faith with the help of
others. These core values make us a true Lasallian, as we follow the footsteps of our founder,
for God and country.