(From L-R; Rev. Fr. Sandy Enhaynes-MYA Spritiual DIrector, Bro. Carlo Francisco Francisco-MYA Coordinator, with DPNSDA Jumpstart Participants; Pauline Macatunggal, Jocelyn Gaon, Dahryl Imari Yuson, Jessica Lainez, Matthew Cabal, Patrick Jay Tolop, Aljhan Ramos and Sis Quet Raffallo-MYA Diocesan Youth Leader) Photo courtesy of Aranzazu Youth Facebook account.
The first time I heard about Jumpstart was when I attended the KYLE last May, 2017. It was mentioned multiple times during the consultation portion. Most of the concerns of the youth leaders were answered with one solution: to take and avail JUMPSTART.
Right there and then, when they offered JUMPSTART to our Vicariate, I didn’t hesitate to avail it. I immediately asked Sis. Lia Salamat, our Youth Coordinator, to register for it. I was so excited I told my churchmates about it. As the days came close, people I tapped and expect to come were starting to give out reasons that they wouldn’t be able to join. I was nervous we wouldn’t be able to continue because the facilitators were very strict with the rule, especially with the minimum number of participants per parish, which was 7 youth leaders. But still, I kept praying, because I know that our parish needed this. It was a very big opportunity to be offered for free. Until the last minute, we had listed only six participants.
On the first day of JUMPSTART, we were incomplete but we still continued to come. We decided to commit ourselves to seven consecutive Sundays. My co-participants were Matthew Cabal, Pauline Macatuggal, Al John Carl Ramos, Jocelyn Gaon, Jessica Lainez and our Assistant Coordinator, Patrick Jay Tolop. We were able to complete the minimum number of participants on the second day of meeting.
JUMPSTART is a school-type lecture series within seven consecutive Sundays hosted by the participating parishes and facilitated by MYA Staffs from KADA. Participants must be strict in completing these sessions without absents or else, their parish would be disqualified and won’t be able to graduate. It was very challenging for us, especially the call time, which was very early in the morning.
DPNSDA Youth Core during one of the Jumpstart lecture series week.
The lecturing class started at 8:00 AM and ended by 5:00 PM. Five parishes under the Vicariate of Our Lady of Aranzazu were able to join. These were San Jose de Ampid Parish, San Rafael Parish, Sto. Nino Parish, Sta. Cecilia and our Parish, Our Lady of Aranzazu. JUMPSTART was very strict with time and lates weren’t tolerated. Our usual routine would start of course with a liturgy led by the host parish, to be followed by a quiz from the last meeting and would proceed to the next lecture.
We were taught about the Five Purposes for Youth Ministry which are Evangelism, Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship and Ministry and how to use them. The facilitators made the lectures very fun through games and activities. We became more and more excited for the upcoming Sundays. It was a chance, too, for us to be closer with other parishes since we are under the same vicariate, to create more friends and to widen out our circles and connections.
The lessons were very striking and empowering at the same time. It made us understand how ministry really works and the importance on being a person of God before doing the work of God. It must be seen in you first in order to evangelize. When you have the Evangelistic Attitude, people around you will witness it and eventually follow you. They also taught us about the technicalities and formula on providing a very effective program for the right audience. It settled the doubts of every youth leader, affirming us that we are deserving enough and god chose us to be there to serve.
Jumpstart was an eye opener and a wakeup call for us, who have been serving for years in the ministry. We admit having many shortcomings and things that we still do not know, but JUMPSTART has now equipped us with more knowledge in handling the youth of the church. As we finished the lectures and graduated, the challenge in us is on how we will hand it down and apply it to our youth and parish. We came back with high hopes and new dreams for change and improvement of our Youth Ministry. (Daryl Imari Yuson)
