Ten extraordinary leaders, One book

Ten extraordinary leaders, One book

Last Christmas, the homilies on hope at the simbang gabi moved to me write a short essay and publish it in my web log. Today 3 months later, I read at the Manila Bulletin that it inspired Pathways to publish a book.
-cbr 5 March 2005

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Inspiring Living
A personal essay dedicated to the egroup readers on the 2004 ChristmasHoliday against the backdrop of tragedies that have struck Quezon, Aurora and the islands surrounding Indian Ocean and the sudden death of the icon of the underdogs, FPJ. Influenced by the homilies of the Simbang Gabi novena at the Gesu in Loyola and the volunteer work done by mountaineers in Infanta (MFPI) and Gabaldon (Loyola Mountaineers).

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Amidst the difficulties and the tragedies we faced this December 2004,there is hope. It may not be the best period to celebrate Christmas but it is during these moments when we need to hear again the reason for the Christmas season, which is the fulfillment of the promise of redemption. We commiserate with the residents of Quezon and Aurora who survived the flash flood that hit their provinces, to the families of the over 63,000 who died in the tsunami that hit the Asian countries along the coastline of the Indian Ocean and to the legion of fans of FPJ who lost their symbol of the underdog. Experiencing tragedies in this magnitude, sympathy is not enough. Thus we hear about more responsible citizens rendering services and donating relief goods heeding cries for assistance. 

Those of us in the pleasant company of our family connected online and read emails should go beyond sympathizing and donating. We must inspire those who survived the tragedies to keep on living and to continue dreaming. Let us spot that window where we can implant a reason for them to continue to live. Spread that light of hope this Christmas. Not to forget that it starts with us. May pasko pa rin!

-29Dec04

Ten Extraordinary Leaders, One Book
By RONALD S. LIM

http://www.mb.com.ph/YNCP2005030529978.html
When you’re faced with a government that has a debt that runs into the trillions, a constant threat of being bombed to bits hovering about you, and the very dour possibility of not being able to find a decent job after you graduate, it’s very easy to just hang your head in resignation, throw in the towel, and start applying at the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency for a job in a country so far, far away. But for the people at Pathways to Higher Education, a group of Ateneo students pushing for education development, hope is always just around the bend. And with the announcement of plans for Leaders of Hope, a book project meant to gather the stories of 10 extraordinary people, Pathways hopes that everyone will find someone who’ll take them down that curve.

ROLE MODELS The idea for "Leaders of Hope" came about one December morning, during a simbang gabi where Ateneo president Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J. was delivering a homily. In it, Nebres cited a study done on children’s stories in different countries. The study found out that the children’s stories in progressive countries always underlined hope, achievement, courage in the face of difficulties, and stories of heroism.