USC Charity Days 2015
Medical Mission
Volunteer's Voice
Floriza Munez
My role was to be one of the runners. It was a fun experience to be a volunteer for USC Charity day. That fulfilling feeling you get after giving service to others is much better than just sitting around while doing nothing. Aside from being runners, I and my batch mates also did some filling of prescriptions together with the 5th year Clinical Pharmacy students. From that, we got to bond with them and we did some chitchat while doing work. I think what made the work easier was the collaborative effort with our ate’s and kuya’s. No man is really an island. Working hand in hand with other people makes the work light and easier. Charity day was a success! Indeed, the best way to find yourself is to lose in the service of others. In serving others, you find more about yourself and help others in the process.
Jay Cee Roa Valencia
“ Volunteers are not paid – not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless” Sweat. Lots of sweat. Under the blazing heat of the sun, and the constant pressure of delivering the medicines as fast as we could to entertain the never-ending number of people seeking medical assistance. I was one of the chosen runners, literally “running” anywhere to deliver the prescriptions from the prescription area, to the pharmacy, where the other volunteers, as well as our ate’s and kuya’s – the 5th year students, who were also present at the event. The runners were also the one responsible for delivering the medications from the pharmacy, back to the prescription area, where they distribute the medications, as well as collect the prescriptions. Well, in a nutshell we were the delivery services, and as delivery services, we have to be fast. As you can probably imagine, the job wasn’t easy, but it was worth it! The time spent helping others definitely struck my heart. Aside from the happiness felt from helping others, we also got the chance to value teamwork, bonding, and the spirit of volunteerism. The best feeling of happiness is when you’re happy because you’ve made somebody else happy.
Jean Leanne Hong
A crowd of people, both young and old, filled University of San Carlos-Main as they wait for their free health check-up, drugs and groceries. It was truly a great day. Sun shining and volunteers filled each section of the university. The warmth, tired-looking faces and eagerness of the volunteers filled the entire place. It was truly an eye-opening experience because it was my first time to be able to interact with victims of a tragedy. All of us were assigned to different sections. I was assigned to the receiving and releasing section which I thought was an easy job. Well, it wasn’t but it was truly fulfilling. Even though there were a lot of times, I almost wanted to raise the white flag and leave because of the heat and smell of the place still it was worth it because I realized I was so blessed and that God impressed in my heart that I was blessed, not for my personal gain but in order for me to be a blessing for others. God highlighted two of the greatest commandments in the Bible for a reason. He truly wants us to follow His two commandments which are “You must love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind….A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mt 22:37-39). This means that the greatest manifestation of how much we love God is how much we love our neighbors or the people that surround us. I can’t claim that I love God if I hate other people. It just doesn’t work that way. During the charity day, God truly spoke to me that there are still a lot of things I need to learn about His love and how to love others the same way as He loves them. Honestly, I felt tired because I was already drenched with sweat and I was also hungry. There were times that I grumbled within myself but truly in those moments, God spoke to me that the greatest expression of love that I can show Him is truly by compassionately loving others. Truly, praising God for the things that I learned during that very day and praising Him even more with His provision to the victims. It was truly a privilege and an honor to be His hands and feet. All glory goes back to Him!