Hope because of Pope

This January 15th to 19th, Pope Francis visited the Philippines bringing with him his message of Mercy and Compassion. It was an event the whole country has prepared for. A lot of cleaning, fixing, and praying took place as we all anticipated the arrival of the pope. It was an extraordinary occasion for each one of us— Catholic or not.

As Pope Francis came to our country, I have realized one thing. And that is how the pope has brought out the best in the hearts of all Filipinos. When he came, everyone was determined to impress him. Everyone was determined to show him the good things the Philippines can offer. It was not just about the country itself but also the people not existing but living in it. I myself am not a Catholic. But I was able to see what one honorable person of Christ can make out of a Filipino like me.

I am only fourteen years old, but I am of great dedication to keeping my own country in the hands of God. I want the whole Philippines to be saved from the torments of hell. And as for that, based on my religion, the way to salvation is accepting Jesus in our hearts. Indeed, it is a hard thing to do on my own. There may be a lot of us who keep on doing our best to let every Filipino be saved. But I know that we aren't enough. There are a whole lot of Filipinos out there who don't know about God. They don't see Him as who He actually is. And because of that, I lost all my faith. I became a pessimist and I started expecting that not everyone from my country will be brought to Heaven when the time comes.

However, this viewpoint of mine came to a revision when Pope Francis visited the Philippines. All I saw during the period of time he was here was a possibility. Possibility that everyone can be saved. I realized how all the Filipinos became one as the Pope arrived and delivered his message. Yes, I may not be a Catholic. But I know that because of the pope, there's hope.

Heroes Gone Zeroes

Overseas Filipino Workers— the so-called "heroes" of our country. They work day and night for their families. They hide the pain of missing their loved ones in the Philippines and try to be happy for them. They get very lonely, but they still manage to smile and be strong.

But for me, the true heroes of our nation are just they themselves. Their capability to do all this work is what makes them a hero. They do not have to go overseas and work for someone with a different blood to be called such. Their strong mind, their golden heart, their willingness to help— those are some of the reasons why we call them heroes. And now that they're not staying in the Philippines, what about our country? Shouldn't we be helping each other here to accomplish all our nation's needs? We all want what's best for the Philippines. We all want it to grow and soar high but we're not trying to help. Instead, we even add up to its impossibility to develop. Yes, the OFW's are OUR heroes. But as they leave the country, they become just heroes, and not ours to consider.

Every Filipino has what it takes to be a hero. And as we continue to leave and pursue a career in another country, Philippines loses a hero. Wake up! If we don't stop believing that a better future awaits us overseas, I'm afraid to say that our country might completely lose its worth.