Many Lives
The panel discussion session “Many Lives” began with the introduction to the APLYC8 theme song, “Many Lives, One Mission”, and aptly so. Panelists shared an array of personal experiences, especially regarding life-changing moments and their service work.

The Panelists
The discussion was led by Doreen from Malaysia, and the panelists were from a mix of different countries: Keane from the Philippines, Richard from Pakistan, Jason from Singapore, and Joan from Papua New Guinea.

Their Stories
Jason started the ball rolling by recounting how he roped in many Lasallians to clean one-room flats occupied by the elderly, who are incapable of doing it themselves. He was inspired by the work of Mdm Catherine Goh, the coordinator of the project. Jason realized the lack of youth involvement in such projects, and asked himself, “If the older members of our community can do this, why shouldn’t the youth and young adults do the same?” Moved by the plight of these elderly, Jason set off on a mission to simply “put a smile on their faces”

Richard then enlightened us on the situation in Pakistan; child labour and the freedom of women were mentioned as particularly troubling issues. In a bid to resolve these problems, programmes such as the English Sharpening Course were initiated by the Lasallian youth of the country. They also visited the homes of children unable to receive proper education, in addition to offering free tuition. Richard then told an anecdote about his experience during a Pakistani earthquake, where he became involved in physiotherapy. These two individuals, Jason and Richard, may only be taking a small step towards bettering the lives of others, but to the person on the receiving end, it is a great deal. Keane, chairperson of the Lasallian Youth Commission in the Philippines, highlighted to us the many initiatives the Lasallian youth in their country have taken. For example, they advocate childrens’
rights and provide medical attention to over a thousand homes.

Keane believes that it is the simple yet significant human experiences that inspire. However, his work is not without its difficulties. The need to balance both academic and Lasallian work is tough. Also, the lack of support due to the middle class preference for work to the Lasallian mission contributes to the challenges faced by Lasallians in the Philippines. Despite these challenges, Keane is undeterred as he aims to “affect societal change” and “fulfill the Lasallian mission”.

Joan, a full-time Lasallian, has been in the Lasallian family for about 13 years. She was inspired by the school she taught in, where the Brothers worked hand in hand with the students in subsistence cultivation. She was opened to the Lasallian spirituality of community, where there is almost no difference between teachers and students. Since then, she has been sharing what she has learnt from various Lasallian conventions with others. However, this by itself was a challenge, possibly due to the indifference of many other people. Yet Joan realises that sharing is necessary to keep the Lasallian dream alive. She also believes in empowering others, and thus many of her students are the ones organising camps and retreats while she “takes a backseat”. Our Mission We have heard the history of La Salle. Today, we are given a glimpse of what is happening in the lives of individual Lasallians. And from this panel discussion, we realise how these four individuals, despite their diverse cultural backgrounds, share a common purpose. And it is now clear how “each one of us shares the same passion in fulfilling the Lasallian mission” and that “even if we just light up one soul, we’ve won”.

Facing the Challenges
Delegates were given two questions to ponder over while having a short break:

1. What are the two main issues that the youth experience in your own countries? How does it affect you as a young person?

2. What do you think are the two challenges that Lasallian youth face in the midst of all these issues?

As a supplement to the panel discussion, Vangie from the Philippines gave a short yet succinct presentation regarding these questions, highlighting a few vital statistics pertaining to our Asia-Pacific region. These details showed us the diversity of the Lasallians within the Asia-Pacific region, which houses a multi-faith community. Her presentation also explored the problems of poverty, child labour and the urban poor in our region today. Delegates were then left with these words to reflect upon: To be the change we wish to see in the world.