SUGA: Making a Difference!

"I would be nothing without knowing what God really wants for me. . .," IRESSE PATRICIA O. BULOS tearfully declared, in the Silliman University Goodwill Ambassador (SUGA) Search final challenge on September 25 in Café Antonio: a sermonette on the theme “Thy Will Be Done” -- one of the winning moments of this humble young talent who, along with the other Aspiring Ambassadors (AA) and their production team, (pressured with little preparation time, faith stories uncovered, ability to present a quality stage production) discovered with touches of elegance over a week-long run. All these made the event that capped the Youth Week celebration of Silliman Church a decision that is (or will prove to be) equally formative and, it being an avenue of working faith testimonies, far more determined, unyielding.

SUGA: Silliman University Goodwill Ambassador, a talent search inspired by popular reality TV programs, was an achievement of brave young workers led by Parish News Editor Gus Ganir, the Christian Youth Fellowship president Daniel Kho and Campus Ambassadors chairman Marky Cielo with the full-of-talent-energy hosting by Anna Espino and Carlo Regalado . Its entire expanse had been mostly an achievement of willingness to make a difference -- not for the self but in celebration of God-given talents. Although set within the spirit of a friendly competition, every solo presentation of an AA espoused the most passionate faith testimony of the youth; an ideal seriousness which, in a rare moment, was found in a generation usually lost in trivial peer-pressured frolic. Iresse, the winner, expressed that so far in all her life as a young achiever, her being SUGA was the most meaningful - simply splendid with subtle building-up of joy within a Christian youth fellowship composed of: Boyd Milan, the classical guitarist; Matthew Torres, the hip-hop dancer using praise songs; Fredilyn Fabillar, the Christian pop singer; Anton Sanchez, the Christian rock band lead singer; Raiza Majam, the inspirational motivator; Retz Pol Pacalioga, the composer and Olive Rubillos, the praise and worship leader. The SUGA experience im all its simplicity became the most authentic and complete of all of Iresse’s involvements, beside her other wins in other school contests which were not as fulfilling, she said.

Among the reasons for its mounting, the SUGA was committed to defining real youth challenges amidst inherent tendencies to just go-with-the-flow and that result in any work concerning the youth a mediocre undertaking without discernment of the beauty of God-given gift of creativity. It proves that Church youth work today requires a strong plan involving excellence in visual communication, a service that answers to the short-attention span of young people. Creative path is the nerve of today’s youth work, so that the young mind dwells within a meaningful journey which, to the majority of the chosen circle of friends, could still be regarded as “too churchy” and finds it absolutely boring compared to the challenge in a computer game or to the appeal of television primetime. While our Church youth are obliged to package themselves according to the concrete pleasant pressure of their contemporaries, youth ministry as a whole has to have an encompassing avenue to cover even the most unknown addressee. It should send vivid signals beyond boundaries and take courage that stems from the omnipotence of GOD, the Great-Giver-of-All-Talents.