Back to hard core build, from the ground up, for this year’s Bayani Challenge at GK Rotary Club of Manila Village, Jaen, Nueva Ecija despite the scorching heat.

“Iba’t iba ang klase ng tao, may iba’t ibang pananaw sa buhay at pangarap pero kaya pala natin magkaisa at maghirap para sa iisang bagay at yun ay yung tumulong.”

A Bayani Challenge is a test of where your love for country will take you or maybe curiosity for a different kind of adventure: beyond your comfort zone. 5 days of waking up at 5 AM and ending the day at 11 PM, just to fully experience what it means to be a bayani. And that’s what our volunteers experienced in their 5 days in 3 municipalities in Nueva Ecija: Cabiao, Jaen and Llanera.

Even the kids don’t mind being under the heat of the sun as long as they get to join in the fun of building homes and repainting with their Kuyas and Ates. Cause that’s what makes every community comes alive, volunteers and our Kapitbahayans (GK residents) working together for a future full of hope for the next generation.

And because we belong to one global family of change makers, our volunteers from Europe were present there with us, passing on hollow blocks, digging foundations, carrying sacks of cements, gravel and sand and exchanging smiles and stories with fellow volunteers. Because Bayani Challenge brings out the bayani, not only in us Filipinos, but those who’ve learned to love our country and our fellow Filipinos.

“Presence speaks a thousand words. Ang pagkukulang ng bawat isa ay napupunan ng isa’t isa.”

Volunteers having the time of their lives at GK Berjaya Village, Llanera, Nueva Ecija. And always after a long day of hard work and heartwork, rain or shine, more fun awaits our volunteers: Larong Pinoy! For some, it’s an ultimate throwback for games we love to play as kids, for some, it’s an introduction to the richness and“kulit-ness” of our culture even in our local games. Always teaching us the values of bayanihan and una sa serbisyo, huli sa benepisyo. And of course, having fun while at it!

“The idyllic life in GK communities is always a reminder that it takes so little to be happy Less for self, more for others, enough for all.” – Issa Santos, GK Worker We also got to do Kalinga sa Bayan activities in one of our newest GK communities: GK. St Joseph Village, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. It’ll be built as an eco-village, and right beside a lake with a treehouse. The beautiful things we can concretely do when we work together: private sector, government, corporations, schools, families and individuals. Only with the best for the least at the heart of it all.

Paraisong Pambata is a Bayani Challenge favorite for those who love kids and a test of patience and love for those who never thought they can handle kids, and we’re talking usually of more than 50 kids! But after hours of playing, reading, singing, dancing, laughing and exchanging stories and questions, our volunteers always have their fill of hugs, kisses and holding hands at the end of the day! The heartwarming memories will stay with us for days or even months, but for these kids, they’ll surely remember it for life!

“Malaking hamon pagkatapos ng Bayani Challenge: maging pag-asa at magtayo ng pag-asa Bayani Challenge made us believe that we are capable of being the answer to the prayers of the people around us. That we can be HOPE”

The future is indeed bright with the youth taking their place in the frontlines in creating this world a better place, one community at a time, one barangay at a time, one town and province at a time. And we can’t wait for more exciting adventures with the youth leading us in creating solutions and finding ways to work together as one family of nation-builders.

More hope stories from our colunteers:

My Bayani challenge experience today was so great and unforgettable memories kasi na-assign kami sa isang barangay for paraisong pambata na 130 kids. Sumayaw, naglaro, nagstory telling at marami pa at makita mo lng na masaya yung mga bata nakangiti, sobrang worth it na sa aming mga volunteers. Pagdating ng hapon build naman at sportsfest. Sobrang saya kasi first time ko magvolleyball, tug of war at ang favorite ko sack race pero yung sack sa ulo and that's BAYANI challenge, expect the unexpected. My experiences are life changing not only to me but also to the community and you'll absolutely end the day with a smile. - Justine, Volunteer, GK Pampanga

I met my wife in a #bayanichallenge and ever since then, we have not stopped volunteering. May dalawa kaming anak, si Sining at Diwa at sinasama na namin sila They are growing up in a Bayani Challenge, they are growing up as volunteers, they are growing up as heroes for this country. Our job as parents is to raise our children na may takot sa Diyos, na maging mabuting anak. And we now need a generation who will raise their children to become the best Filipino generation there has ever been. - Mark Lawrence Cruz, GK Worker

“Daming assistant ah.” “Pinag-isa ko na ang repainting at paraisong pambata.” - Kimpoy Remos, Volunteer, GK Quezon City

Ang paborito kong bahagi ng Bayani Challenge ay ang pakikisalamuha sa mga tao sa GK sites. Dito, mas nakikilala ko sila at nalalaman ang kanilang kalagayan. Noong kinamusta ko sila, marami ang nagsabi na hirap sila sa buhay dahil kumikita lang sila tuwing anihan kaya napipilitan silang umutang o lumabas ng kanilang probinsya para sa pang araw-araw na gastos. Pero sa kabila nito, handa pa rin silang tumulong sa kanilang kapwa. Hindi ko makakalimutan si Tita Conching, siya at ang kanyang pamilya ang kumupkop sa aming grupo noong kami ay nasa Jaen. Kahit simple ang kanilang pamumuhay, tinaggap nila kami sa kanilang tahanan at binabahagian pa kami ng kanilang ulam. Sa kabila nang kanilang nagawang tulong sa amin, lubos pa rin ang kanilang pagpapasalamat sa aming tulong sa kanilang pamayanan. Dito ko napatunayan ang sinabi ng kapwa ko volunteer na si Kuya Law na 'Walang taong sobrang hirap na hindi kayang tumulong at walang taong sobrang yaman na hindi kayang tumanggap ng tulong.' Isa pang paborito kong bahagi ay ang pagkakaroon ng pagkakataon na makakilala ng ibang mga volunteers na may pagmamahal sa bayan at handang maglingkod sa kapwa ng walang hinihintay na kapalit. May mga nakilala akong volunteers mula pa sa Pampanga, Quezon City at Benguet. Wala silang kakilala o kamag-anak sa Nueva Ecija pero handa silang sumagot sa tawag ng Bayanihan. - Cesca Lacanilao, Volunteer