KÔZ Stories

Hear some of the stories from our students

Student Testimonies

Hello Sponsors,

Hi I’m Danica Ibueg, and I live in the San Buena Compound. My parents are Danilo and Joan Ibueg. I have six siblings, and I’m the forth one. My father’s job is ‘Jeepney Barker’(the one who shouts for passengers to get into a jeepney). My mother is a housewife. We live a simple life-happy and always together. But there are days when we face such big challenges that I almost feel like giving up.

Awhile ago, trouble started in our family. My father would often come home drunk and hurt my mother physically in front of us. We don‘t know why he was doing that. It came to the point that I hung out with my friends all the time. I learned to drink alcohol with them, and I didn’t care if my parents got angry with me because I just didn’t want to go home. Then one day, I bumped into a boy who was sharing the gospel. He greeted me and asked me if he could share the Word of God with me. I said, “I don’t know your God so just leave me alone and don’t come back anymore!” Then after a week, we met each other again and the same thing happened. He asked me if he could share the gospel with me. It came to my mind that I can’t do anything about it. All I need to do is to listen to him. So he shared with me the Gospel story, and I found myself crying. He asked me why I was crying. I said, “Your God is good and He is kind. I want him to be the Savior of my life.” After that, he prayed, and I really cried hard and bowed my knees on the floor and prayed, “Lord God, please forgive me! Forgive me for my sins.” That is the time that I accepted God as my Savior. Then a miracle happened! My father never got drunk again. My life has gotten better since I’ve stopped hanging out with friends and coming home late. I also started to go to Bible study and became Sunday school teacher. I teach children who are like me before, and teach them the Word of God. Thanks be to God! He changed my life little by little!

Through Bright Lights, I can continue my studies now. Thank you so much sponsors for not getting tired to support my studies. May the Lord give you and your family more strength and good health. God bless!

My favorite verse found in Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desire of your heart.” Thank you so much and God bless.
Danica Ibueg
Bright Lights Student
Hello Sponsor!

We are a big family, a happy family! Our house is a loud house in the neighborhood. We play and tease each other a lot about doing house chores and about personal things such as clothes, slippers, and school things. Growing up molds us into better people. We know how to run a household without arguing a lot. However, it has not always been easy for us. There were times when my father had no job and only my mom was working for us. There are times when our food was not enough for us. We decided to do our part to help. We went to the market and helped some vendors by clearing their areas. At the end of the day, they gave us some vegetables and fruits.

By doing these things, we survived almost 5 months. During that time, I was so glad and blessed when we met Cells Alive Christian Fellowship. They helped us to continue our studies through Bright Lights. They supported our education until my brother graduated from college. Now he is employed and helps support our family.

Everything was great and going as planned until my sister got pregnant. We felt devastated because we hoped that she would finish her studies like my brother. My mom got very angry towards her because she expected a lot of her. Another problem was that my younger sister also got pregnant. All we can do now is accept the situation and adjust. The rest of my siblings promise not to do the same thing as they did. For me, I am focused on my studies and make myself busy by doing house chores. Sometimes I’m tired of doing all the necessary things. Most of the time I do all the laundry. It is a big job! In this situation, it made me realize that no matter what happens in good times or in bad times, I still keep pushing on.

To my sponsors who are willing to help me achieve my dreams, thank you very much! May the Lord bless you more and more.
Hannah Llamado
Bright Lights - Bridge Student
Hello Sponsor!

A blissful day to you! I am Anabelle C. Ranalan and am 17 years old. I have two siblings, and I’m the youngest. My father’s occupation is welder while my mother is a sari-sari store vendor.

When I was a young I experienced poverty. We were living near the river. Most of the time, my parents would go to work and my brother would bring me out to the street with a sack. We collected junk and unused things. After selling them, my brother would give me 2 pesos every time I worked with him to pick up scraps. My parents did not know that when they were at work, my brother and I were busy collecting junk for the needs of our home. There were times that we didn’t eat 3 times a day because the salary of my father was not enough for us. We didn’t eat breakfast; only a lunch meal. During that time, my younger brother also worked instead of going to school. However, my father did not tolerate him going to work because he wanted him to continue his studies.

In our difficulties, due to lack of money, we never imagined that we would eventually have 2 graduates! At an early age, I needed to work so that I could help pay for the expense needs of my continued studies. Even though my parents struggled to pay for our school fees, we compensated them with the awards we receive in school. We have certificates and medals! Also, every semester my brother was always at the top of his class. In the simple ways, we are giving our parents a happiness and hope that in the right time we will finish our studies.

Seeing my parents struggle and persevere pushes me to study hard so that we don’t experience what they experienced before. They can’t afford to send us to college. However, the good news is that through Bright Lights, I can continue my studies now! It’s my privilege to be able to study with the support of Bright Lights and our sponsors. My brother has already finished his college and is now working at a bank as an encoder. My mother has been extraordinarily encouraging and always has a great advice that can really affect the type of dream I have for the future.

Bright Lights gives me the opportunity to pursue my college degree. They will help me by providing my tuition fee and enable me to attend college. They not only help me financially but also spiritually. I now attended a cell group gathering and a Sunday service. They encourage me to get closer to God. I do my journal and daily devotion everyday as one of our subjects in our Bridge class. It is a wonderful and encouraging experience.

I am grateful that my family is now attending Sunday Service also. I’m also happy because I am one of the youth ushers every Sunday.

To my dearest sponsors, thank you so much for your unending support. I will not waste it. God bless you always!
Anabelle C. Ranalan
Bright Lights Student