> > > "He who can take no interest in what is small will take false interest > in what is great." John Ruskin > > > >Jasmine Trias visited the Philippines very recently. Everyone was agog > > >waiting to welcome her. The excitement was remarkable as the media and > > many of our "kababayans"flocked to the airport to see her. This scenario > is > > >typical of Filipinos. Sadly, it reflects our country's misplaced > priorities. > > > > > >Contest of the Mind. Another young girl came back to the country just a > > >couple of weeks ago. Her name is Faye (not her real name for very > > sensitive reasons). Unknown to her countrymen, this eleven year old girl > brought > > >honor to the Philippines. She represented the country in the > > >Intercontinental Science Quiz Net in Australia. Out of 57 countries > > >represented, Faye garnered First Place for the Philippines. Germany came > in > > >second while the United States came in third. > > > > > >In start contrast to the hooplah extended to Jasmine Trias, Faye's > > arrival did not make any noise. Not a peep. > > > > > >In an earlier competition, "Mathematics for the Young Asians" in > > Indonesia, > > > > >Faye also came out in the Top Five. But just like the Australian event, > > >this feat did not receive any recognition in our country at all. > > > > > >Our interests seem to be set on other "priorities." We are more > > interested in promoting celebrity guests instead of educational and > intellectual > > >pursuits. Indirectly and quite obviously we are teaching our children > > that development of the external image takes priority over educational > > >achievement. > > > > > >Faye's story is inspiring. She comes from a broken family. Her father > > >falsely claimed that he was unmarried when he married her mom. When her > > mom found out, she decided to raise up her daughter alone. > > > > > >Despite the difficulty, Faye in no way used it as an excuse for > > complacency in her studies. In grade school, she was a consistent honor > student. She > > >took every academic requirement as a challenge. And she delivered. At > one > > >time, she submitted a project thesis in Australiathat won "The Best > > Physics and Science Award". The award qualified the Philippinesto be one > of the > > top 10 countries that would compete in Australia, among the 57 countries > that > > >joined. > > > > > >Considering her family's financial constraints, she and her mom asked > > help from our government for their trip to Australia to claim the "Best > > Physics" award and to join the Science competition. They saw this > challenge as a > > >rare opportunity offered to Faye and her country, considering that only > > two Asian countries qualified - Japan and the Philippines. Unfortunately, > our > > >government had other priorities. > > > > > >Mother and daughter then tried to ask help from individual senators and > > >congressmen. All turned them down except for one who was willing to > help, > > >on condition that Faye should give public credit to the senator for > > >supporting her even int the earlier competitions she joined. Out of > > >integrity, the mother could not accede to this arrangement. Thus no > > outside help was found. > > > > > >Faced with this situation, Faye and her mom took out all their savings > > and went out of their way to secure by themselves the additional finances > > >needed. The only driving force behind them was their desire to give > honor > > >to God and to the Philippines. > > > > > >With the little resources they had, they went to Australiaon September > > 17, 2004for the competition. They claimed the trophy and cash award for > the > > >"Best Physics" thesis Faye submitted in Sidney and then flew to > > Brisbane for the quiz competition. > > > > > >No kababayan welcomed them in Australia except for a kind Filipina they > > met in the plane who assisted them. As they were checking in at a hotel, > the > > >"kind" Filipina who volunteered to help them disappeared taking with her > > >Faye's and her mother's bags, passports, and plane tickets. At that > > point, they literally had nothing left except for the few pieces of > clothes and > > >their faith in God. They had to sell the extra clothes left to be able > to > >> >buy food. > > > > > >In need once again, they sought help from some of the Filipino officials > > in Australiabut to no avail. Oddly, the Filipino officials there were too > > busy with other priorities, not minding to help a young girl and a mother > who > > >had no other desire but to bring honor to our country. > > > > > >Given a budget for only a one night stay at the hotel, mother and > > daughter had to check out the following day. Leaving their luggage on > deposit and > > >without money for transportation fare, they decided to walk two > > kilometers to the competition venue on their native Filipino costumes. > > > > > >If walking a two kilometer distance was bad enough, how much more would > > be walking the distance on their native costume along the highways of > > >Australia! > > > > > >Upon arrival at the competition site, Faye and her mom were very > > surprised when they discovered that the delegates from each of the other > countries > > >were well supported by a band, a cheering squad, and a flag, while Faye > > >only had her mother and the anxiety of lost passports and plane tickets. > > >Worse, representatives of each country were required to decorate their > > >booths. > > > > > >With only the three-piece costume they had on, Faye and her mom were > even > > >more surprised when the organizing committee awarded their booth as "The > > >Most Creative" booth. > > > > > >In the early part of the competition, Japan, Braziland Spainwere > > >eliminated. As the only Asian country left to compete against six > Western > > >nations, the Philippineswas cheered on by Japan. Faye was encouraged by > her Japanese cheering squad, but in her heart, how she wished that she had > > her own countrymen to cheer her on. > > > > > >When Faye finally won first place and Philippinesnational anthem was > > being played, she prayed silently thanking God for making her a Filipina. > > > > Despite all the painful experiences she had with her country, her > priorities did > > >not waver. A Japanes diplomat was the one who helped Faye and her mom to > > >secure temporary pass so they could return to the Philippines. The money > > >they won was just enough for their fare back home and their temporary > > >passport. When Faye was relating this story before a crowd, she said, " > > > > Let us love our nation, for nobody else will." > > > > > >Faye did not allow her painful experiences to tear down her loyalty to > > her country. She is not a celebrity but a servant out to serve her fellow > > >Filipino. > > > > > >A Small Way to Greatness.Our concept of leadership in this country is > > >pitifully skewed. We mistakenly think that leadership is about "lording" > > it over other people. Christ corrected this distorted thinking when he > said, > > "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it > over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so > with > > >you, instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your > servant, > > >and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all - Mark 10:42-44 > > > > > >Sadly, we are far from the precept of this truth. It is no surprise then > > >that we have a dearth of real leaders in this country-leaders who would > > set the nation's interests above their own. In the same way, our concept > of > > >citizenship is damaged. Those seeking for social good for themselves are > > >never willing to grant the same good to others. Hence it is common for > us > > >hear stories of Filipinos who take advantage of their fellow citizens. > We > > >want to be served, but we are unwilling to serve. > > > > > >We dream of becoming like Jasmine Trias. We want our children to be like > > >her. We would rather spend on things that would make us look good > instead > > >of things that would make us grow in character. We prefer stardom > glitter > > >over service-oriented endeavors. > > > > > >Quite the contrary, Faye spend sleepless nights studying to win the > > >competition because she knows her priorities. Unlike Jasmine Trias, Faye > > >did not receive a hero's welcome when she cam back, but, young as she > is, > > >she keeps calling on Filipinos to love the Philippinesbecause every > > >Filipino is a valuable gift of God. > > > > > >Life, really is not a matter of intelligence but a matter of setting our > > >priorities right. The question is, what's our focues on "grand" things > > that make us superficial or on simple things that lead us to greatness? > > > > > >Faye's story reminds us all to look within ourselves. This eleven year > > old girl could have complained to the media, but she did not. She went > out of > > >her own small way to bring greatness to this land. > > > > > >Right priorities grant us wisdom. When properly set, priorities point us > >to the right people we need to invest in, the right use of our energy, > > the right resources to draw from, and the right endeavors support. > > > > > > From the words of Faye's mother, " We all wanted to win, but success is > > not measured through by merely winning. It is measured through our > hearts, if > >it is truly attuned with God all the time. It is all that really matters > > >for we have only an Audience of One. Whatever we have achieved, big or > > >small, remember one thing: it is for God and God alone. The King of the > > >Kingdom of a higher world. >
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