Overcoming challenges: An OFW son's story

Main Menu

Home

Pinoy Youth

Pinoy Youth-Pilipinas

Overcoming challenges: An OFW son's story

Written by Ralph Michael Ono

In this world, there are different kinds of families, and ours, though not your ordinary and ideal one, makes me proud because of how we have handled life's circumstances in the best way we can. As I was growing up my surrogate mother actually my grandmother on my mother’s side was the one who raised me up because my Mom needed to work abroad (she is what you may call an overseas Filipino worker or OFW) in order to provide a bright future for me and my brother. But even though my parents weren’t by our side, I did not feel deprived as our grandmother more than made up for what we might have missed. Because of this I have learned to value love all the more and as I grew older it became easy for me to share love with others.

Because of my Grandma's great care for us I want to repay her by excelling in my scholastic achievements. Credentials wise, school records document a consistent high rating and satisfactory grades since my elementary days and to the present. I have done this so that Grandma and my aunt who provided assistance to her in raising me up will be proud of me. I always dreamed that someday I would be able to give them a comfortable life and I would be the one to make them experience how it feels to be loved and taken cared of.

My Mom who was working abroad in order to sustain my basic needs has always been a source of motivation to study hard in order to have a good career in the future. Hopefully, someday my mother will not have to work hard abroad anymore and we would be able reunite with the whole family. However, recently, my mother suffered from a serious medical condition. During those times I wasn’t with her and it really hurts not to be able to take care of her at her time of need. I was really touched when my mother, even after undergoing surgery, still thinks about working in order to continue providing for sustenance via her remittances. Because of the varying degrees of sacrifice that our Mom had gone thru and given for our sake, I have dreamed committed to myself that someday I will give my mother all the time in the world to relax and enjoy life without thinking about me and my brother. In my own time, I will be the one in charge to provide her with everything that she needs.

I realize that I still have a long way to go for much more meaningful accomplishments in life. Although the path to success is full of trials and downfalls, I will persevere, continue to stand up if and when I fall, and never give up in overcoming challenges. I will break all the walls or hurdles ahead. Determination, discipline, and commitment, and faith are the key secrets to my success, which as we speak, I am in the process of working on no matter how long the journey or how high the stakes may be.

{This article was written by one of the finalists for the Iglesia Science and Technology Award for 2009 at Notre Dame of Manila.]

(Video from youtube.com; posted by kamalayankalayaan 06.16.08)