Beloved students, I am honored to welcome you to King’s College of the Philippines! I came across a story of a six year-old boy in England. One day, a preacher came to dine in their house. The preacher took this little boy, sat him in his lap and said, “I believe that this little boy will be used by God to preach the Gospel to all of England and will win thousands upon thousands to Jesus Christ.” Charles Spurgeon was then very young, but never forgot those words. He grew up to become one of the greatest Bible Preacher of all time. This preacher’s vision verbally instilled in Charles’ young mind and has kindled fire of spiritual and moral reformation in history of England in the 19th Century. Two decades now since I started mission in the Philippines, I was driven by a vision- a vision to transformation. I wish to impart this vision to you, for I cannot do this alone. I am very grateful that amidst manifest decadence in our culture today, God will move mightily among you. I yearn for you to become citizens and leaders who would be agents of holistic change and transformation.
Education can lift a person from the quagmire of literacy and despond. Knowledge and skills are necessary, yet they are temporary. But Godly character and faith are necessary for they are eternal. I therefore give premium to God’s Holy Word and have it integrated to King’s College of the Philippines curricula. However, transformation must start first within you. I entreat you then to study hard. Always remember that your parents or sponsors work hard daily. At times, under burning heat of the sun and during cold rainy days to get you through your education. Achievement and success are dependent upon your choices. Sir Walter Scott was crippled, but his being cripple never hindered him to became a remarkable author and writer, John Bunyan was imprisoned due to religious prejudices, but his imprisonment caused him to write his most touching book, Pilgrim’s progress. Abraham Lincoln was very poor but his poverty did not stop him to become the greatest President of the United States of America. And Albert Einstein, labeled by his teachers as slow -learner, “retarded” and uneducable, yet he became the most celebrated scientist of all times.
What else can be the reason for you not to be a good student? What can be the hindrances for you to become like the ones I mentioned? All of them among others made history because of their contributions to social transformation. I believe you too, can become like them. Furthermore, be a good citizen of your country. Again, this is your choice. Few years back in the news, a promising high school students was murdered by an out of school youth. The victim was about to graduate as a salutatorian. His death was a shock to his relatives, to his school and to the community. Their graduation was canceled, and the community was in brink of clan and tribal war. The motive of murder was political, jealousy and shame. But the fearsome, brutal murder of this young man was activated by drugs and vice. Students, anyone of you can turn out to be this murderer if you would not choose the right path. No to drugs! No to vices! Make your choice today! Finally, love God. This is the first of the greatest commandments of God and it summarizes all that my heart wishes to express, God is the author of great changes you can see in our world today. For by Him, transformation is possible. He is able to turn a drug addict and liquor addict to a sober, peace-loving and responsible citizen. Look around you. I know you can point a person who was once a problem of the community, but when this person believed in God and had a relationship with him, became a new person. No ruler, no philosopher or scientist has ever offered solutions for life’s issues. No other person has remarkably influenced the world as much as the man called Jesus. Only Jesus has ever made such claims.
Here at KCP, we have regular Chapel Services and Christian Values Education as an additional subject being taught. These are avenues to shape the character. In a book entitled Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right from Wrong, William Kilpatrick (1992) noted that there is more illiteracy in the United States of America compared to other developing countries. Then he made a poignant assessment stating that one of the principal reasons for this failure was the abandonment of moral teachings which homes and schools used to provide. Kilpatrick then concluded with an advice: “The best way to encourage strong character development was to once again emphasize good examples and good habits of behavior.” Take it from this man. Having God in our lives is the key of every great thing!
I Hope and pray that as you step into the threshold of King’s College of the Philippines, you will take hold of this vision- a vision for better future; a vision to be someone who could be part of making this nation, or this world a better place to live in; a vision to be someone who would be a part of making other people’s lives better; a vision that is worth living for.
