Gawad Kalinga: WAO! Bayani Challenge & Highway of Peace

With the recent highly successful coming together of volunteers in Mindanao for GK's Bayani Challenge and Highway of Peace events, we bring you the following stories of transformation, peace-building, and uniting of communities:

1. Death Gives Way to Life in Wao: "Seeing the hope in Tomas "Tam" Carumba's eyes while walking around GK Darussalam village, one would not think that he had lost a close cousin, killed by a Maranao during a Muslim-Christian conflict between their families. To stop further bloodshed, the warring factions had negotiated for "blood money" as a peace offering..."

2. A Sultan's Dream for Wao: Sultan Acraman Saripada, of Wao, provides his insights on the work to uplift his poor constituents..."The difference between GK and many other groups that have wanted to help here is that with GK everyone is equal," the sultan says. "It doesn't matter what your religion is, whether you're poor or rich..."

3. Sitting on Inspiration - A volunteer from Los Angeles, California, reflects on his experience building in Wao: "...riding in a dump truck on the way to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao amidst beautiful rolling green hills, farmed valleys and triumphant mountains under a pollution-less sky, I almost shuddered to think how far I was from my family back in Los Angeles.  The distance was definitely more than physical.  It was religious and cultural as well."

4. Paving the Highway of Peace in Wao: "...As moving as seeing the GK builders blaze the trail of peace in formerly war zone Wao was the powerful prayer  made by the Moslem ulama who was also GK Darussalam's Kapitbahayan president. "We ask for your help that the love, cooperation and unity among Muslims and Christians may return, for our country. Guide the people who are helping to love the poor. Save my brother Muslim and Christian from any kind of harm." His prayer moved a former rebel commander turned GK full time worker to tears. "This was the first time in all my years, that I heard a Muslim pray for a Christian..."