Will You Be My Angel

Will you be my angel?
by Lori Canlas

Will you be my angel?
Will you be the light that guides my way?
That will help me through another day;
Redirect me when I am lead astray,
And help me build a place to stay.

Will you be my angel?
When the earth thunders from under my feet;
And all I could feel is the simple patter of my heartbeat.
All that is left is molten clay.
Beneath it is where my crumbled home was laid.
Everything that brought meaning in my life is gone,
I am so enraged.
The blissful memories of a happy home-life I once relished are beginning to fade.
How can I make sense of these sudden occurrences?
It feels like an endless game of charades.

Will you be my angel?
And look deep into my eyes stinging with surmounted pain,
As I am surrounded by my brothers and sisters:
The poor and the lame.
As I fight the demons that suffocate me with despair,
All I need is somebody who is willing to share.
To share the time to help me find,
Hope in this disheveled wilderness.
My life is left in a state of confusion amongst this dilapidated mess.
All I could find in this former happy home of mine,
Is this cold and lifeless body that I caress?

Will you be my angel?
Will you be the light that guides my way?
That will help me through another day;
Redirect me when I am lead astray,
And help me build a place to stay.

Will you be my angel?


Lori Anne Canlas is the Youth Formation Head for GK Youth Build (www.gkyouthbuild.org) and was touched by the first among the trilogy of GK movies, “Paraiso” which was co-presented by GK Youth Build and FSAT/U of T last September 29, 2007. This poem is inspired by the many youth that are among the poorest of the poor in the Philippines and who Lori herself saw first hand when she visited GK Villages in Metro Manila and Quezon.

Our Next Stop :: Ottawa

In Canada, they say that if you want to be heard, you have to go to Ottawa! So after our October 13 presentation in Boston, we were in Ottawa during the last weekend of October.

The audience was totally different as we presented to the various heads of GK-Ancop from across Canada and the head of GK-Ancop in North America and in Canada, Ricky Cuenca and in the USA, Rose Cabrera. The experience was nothing but exhilarating as we swept through the presentation. Elvie Tan exhorted the group that there are different callings and various ways of evangelizing. Lori Canlas presented the platform of youth formation needed by the next generation. Junnie was able to connect all these as he presented GK Youth Build, while Therese ended with her sharing and transformation and inviting their youth members to join us in next year's Immersion and Build.

After Toronto, Boston and Ottawa - our next stop :: Back to Mississauga. See you there!

Our First Presentation :: Boston

In October, GK Youth Build was busy doing a roadshow moving from one city to another - sharing their wonderful experience from their most recent immersion trip in the Philippines.

The first stop was Boston. GK Youth Build was invited to speak in front of Boston University, Harvard and Boston College students. The team also was given a chance to share during the night's concert featuring Joey Albert. Therese Cruz was able to share her experience of transformation both as part of the GKYB immersion and also when she had the time to share her knowledge of jewelry making with the villagers of Marinduque!

The drive with Peachy, Therese and Junnie was close to ten hours but among friends with a lot of experiences to share, it didn't seem so. We caught Boston in its most beautiful weather - fall! The trees were turning from crimson to gold. What a sight to see!

Our next stop is : Ottawa!

Maybe the next stop will be your neighborhood, watch out for GK Youth Build as we share and evangelize the beauty of God's gift to our Youth = their caring and compassionate hearts filled with Christian love!