My career as a Counselor started
way back 1997 when my professor in the graduate school invited me to apply as a
University Counselor in one of the biggest universities in Manila. At that
time, I just wanted to study because I felt bored in the mundane world of being
an office employee. I never thought that I would end up working as a Counselor
for twenty years now.
Looking back, I never realized
that I would do this job of listening to people’s problems from all walks of life.
When I was a high school student, I remember having the patience and
perseverance to listen to different stories of people whether sad, happy,
funny, and even the most inane story you could ever imagine. As I grow older, I
was still caught in situations wherein I have to listen to people. I remember
working out in the gym and the instructor ended up telling me his personal
stories. With friends, they would usually confide to me their experiences
whether good or bad. With all these things that happened in my life, I have
come to a realization that GOD has actually prepared me to do a job which I
actually see as a ministry.
One of the many inspiring
experiences I would never forget was when I volunteered as a Counseling
Psychologist in a drug rehabilitation located in the far-flung area of Bulacan
in the Philippines. I would remember all the moments I had counseled every
single drug dependent in that rehab center. These people who are labeled as
addict, evil, rapist, murderer and all other pejorative and degrading words you
could think of are now being seen by the society as useless human beings. These
kind of people especially now in my country is seen as a menace to society and
that all of them deserved to be killed. How I wish that you would have a chance
to know and genuinely listen to their stories for you to understand why they do
things that they are not supposed to do. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All
Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be
adequate, equipped for every good work.”
One day my student was crying in
deep pain sharing that he was expelled from school due to academic failures. He
tried his very best to study well but sadly he was not able to meet the
academic standards of his course. Also, I recall the time when my student
confessed that her father attempted to sexually molest her. It gave me an
indescribable feeling because it was first time in my life to listen to such a
story and counsel a young girl who was going through a terrible and despicable
experience of her life.
At the end of each day, I would
always go to GOD’s chapel to pray and ask for HIS help as I know that I could
not do it alone by myself as HE is my only ONE and TRUE Counselor who could
help all these broken hearted and helpless people. In Isaiah 9:6 it says, “For a
child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will
rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Ultimately, I know that I am
accountable to my Great Counselor above, whom I strongly believe has given me
this ministry and the gift to touch people’s lives and to help them become a
person that God wanted them to be through my counseling. It is my hope and
prayer that by our personal experiences of GOD’s love and compassion, we may
also be moved to counsel people around us who would be in need of help.
May GOD our COUNSELOR and KING be
always our source of love, inspiration and wisdom in our humble desire to serve
our fellowmen through our chosen ministry. Whatever you do, wherever you may
be, there will always be people around you, who might be in need of your help.
May GOD bless your kind and loving heart!
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