A wonderful opportunity knocked on Aprilyn’s door when she was 7 years old. Ten years later, she looks back at how it transformed her life.
They say that an opportunity comes once in a lifetime. And when it comes, you should jump at it.
That’s what Aprilyn’s family did 10 years ago when she was offered a chance to attend a Christian school (later to become a OneChild partner) in her impoverished community in the Philippines.
Aprilyn recalls a memory from when she was 7 years old when a social worker from the Visions of Hope Christian School visited their house in Consolacion, Malungon. She said she was asked to introduce herself.
All she remembers was that she cried on that day. Aprilyn later realized that it was an interview for a scholarship grant in that school — an opportunity that would change her life for the better.
The Struggle to Make Ends Meet
Aprilyn, now 17, is the third eldest among six siblings. Her father is a construction worker while her mother stays at home to take care of the family.
They live in an old house made of bamboo with two separate rooms for boys and for girls. Their toilet is outside the house, and they hike to the nearest deep well to get water.
“It’s quite far from our house, and we need to walk up and down [the mountain] to get water,” Aprilyn says.
Their life as a family has never been easy. They try their best to make ends meet.
“My father earns less than [the equivalent of] $8 a day. On payday, some of it goes to pay for our loan at the store and a little goes for our food,” Aprilyn says.
With the little they have, sometimes nothing else is left for their other needs including school expenses.
That’s why when Aprilyn and two of her brothers were accepted into the Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS), the family knew some of their worries would be lifted.
Laying and Unshakeable Foundation
Visions of Hope Christian School was founded 12 years ago by a nonprofit organization called Center for Community Transformation. Their mission is to provide children living in poverty with a quality Christian education and to enable them to embrace their God-given purpose and reach their full potential.
They build schools in remote areas in the Philippines where access to education is a problem for tribal children.
VOHCS students like Aprilyn receive free education with a strong emphasis on Christian teachings. Teachers here believe that it is important for these children to be rooted with Christian teachings so they will grow up learning about God’s love and purpose in their lives. What they learn at the school will give them an unshakeable foundation for their lives.
The kids also receive school supplies, uniforms, nutritious food, medicine, and vitamins.
They are taught to embrace and live out their uniqueness and express themselves through their skills, talents, and culture.
Children like Aprilyn who live far from the school are able to live in a boarding home where house parents take care of them and provide guidance. It serves as their home away from home.
Having the same vision of giving hope to children in hard places, VOHCS began partnering with OneChild in 2019, connecting many of their students to loving sponsors and enhancing their programs even more with the support of the global community of Child Champions.
Doors of Opportunity Open
When Aprilyn was accepted as a scholar at the Visions of Hope Christian School, instead of entering grade 2, her teacher recommended that she start at kindergarten again to address her challenges in reading and writing.
From that time on, opportunities for growth have opened for her.
According to Aprilyn, on her first day at school she was extremely shy and every time she was asked to talk, she would cry a lot. It took time for her to overcome her shyness.
But that quickly changed.
“Before I was too shy,” she says. “Now I sing at church.”
Aprilyn is now in 10th grade.
At this stage, she and other students have been able to travel around the Mindanao region to showcase their cultural dancing talents.
“It’s all God’s blessings,” Aprilyn says.
Making Good Choices
Aprilyn’s journey as a student has not always been smooth, though. There were times when she thought about leaving the boarding house.
“Sometimes, I get bored because I cannot go out. But I know that when I quit, I will get lost in life,” she says.
But her desire for a better future is motivating Aprilyn to persevere with her education. She has witnessed young girls in her community getting married early, and that has prompted her to think very carefully about her own decisions.
“In here, I found direction. When I see young girls getting married early, I feel blessed that there are people guiding me,” says Aprilyn.
Child Champions in VOHCS do their best to keep the children motivated by initiating bonding activities through food and games. Sometimes, accompanied by Child Champions, they go out for a jog or other fun activities outside the vicinity of the school.
Sometimes, they receive gifts to buy personal things like shoes, slippers, and clothes since all other necessities such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sanitary napkins, and other hygiene materials are provided for them.
Prayer and Perseverance
With Aprilyn’s determination to have a better future, she excels in her studies. She credits God for motivating her to reach these achievements.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Sometimes I felt that there are things that I couldn’t do, but I told myself that there is nothing impossible with God,” she says.
Aprilyn dreams of working abroad as an accountant in the future. She is hoping that she will land a good-paying job so she can improve her family’s living conditions by building a house made of sturdy concrete.
With support and encouragement from their Child Champions, Aprilyn and the other students there are confident they can achieve their dreams.
“When that time comes, they will be proud of us because we will be successful in life,” Aprilyn says. “I can’t thank them enough. They are always there when I need them.”
As she waits for her dream to unfold, she continues to pray that God will help her to be strong and to focus on her goals.
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