(1) What struck you in the stories? Why?

Para sa bayan: I think these three words can encapsulate the central messages
of Robredo’s, Fernandez’s, and Quintana’s stories. Life often feels like a race,
especially when you haven’t experienced enough in life to convince yourself that it
really isn’t. I often find myself wondering what I’m meant or supposed to do or be, if
the choices I’ve made for my future are the ones I should’ve chosen, if I’ll really be able
to do well for myself and/or leave a good impact on this world before I go. It therefore
struck a chord in me to hear/read about the values Robredo, Fernandez, and
Quintana have adopted from their own experiences in life—how they also made
mistakes or did things they probably shouldn’t have done, and how their own
experiences have taught them lessons they now want to impart to others. It tells me
that doing good isn’t really something that you do only at a certain age; you can make
an impact and help make the lives of others better at any point in your own life.

(2) How did Robredo, Fernandez, and Quintana promote God’s reign?
Robredo, Fernandez, and Quintana promoted God’s reign by finding what
they’re good at, working hard, fighting to do what is right, and helping others do the
same. Robredo, through his initiatives and projects as a public official, was able to be
a good example of what a public servant should do and strive to do; Fernandez, with
her work for Rags2Riches, was able to contribute her skills and talents to society in a
meaningful way; and Quintana, through his efforts to turn his life around as well as to
support other street children, was able to find a renewed purpose for his life and
existence that helped him get off the streets in the first place.

(3) What did you learn from these stories about “vocation” or the call to
respond to the promotion of God’s reign? Do you have an inkling of what
your “calling” may be or what you wish to do with your life?
I learned that there’s no “deadline” for achieving what you want to achieve; you
can do good things at any age, and even if you make mistakes or find yourself in a
disadvantageous position, it’s never impossible to turn things around for the better. It
also just takes a lot of time and effort to figure out what it is you can do to make
meaningful contributions to the community and even society as a whole.
As for myself, I think I might have the slightest inkling of what my calling might
be: if possible, I want to try to become a Doctor to the barrios, but I’ll have to do my
best right now first and see if this is really what I think I’ll end up doing with my life.