OUTPOUR OF THANKSGIVING MESSAGES FOR FOSTER FAMILIES SEEN IN SOCIAL MEDIA: Delegates also share testimonies of healing, faith rekindling and spiritual renewal

By Natalie Hazel Quimlat

The National Youth Day (NYD) may have officially ended almost two weeks ago, but the memories it created and the inspiration it gave the thousands of youth delegates who attended continue to live on as they went home to their respective Dioceses.

In a social media post dated June 17 that aimed to solicit “memorable moments with foster families”, delegates took time to reminisce their experiences and thank those who hosted them for their heartwarming welcome and care during the NYD.

They made us feel at home

With over 700 comments, the post gathered hundreds of foster family photos, highlighting several bonding moments shared. As Christian Jake Arcallana commented, “I’d say it was the warm welcome, shared laughter, common faith, and the uniqueness of the experience that made it even more memorable. During our five-day NYD journey, we encountered a community of families that embraced us as an extension of their own families.”

Dennis Ramos expressed appreciation to the Rapirap family for “welcoming [them] not only into [their] home, but also into [their] lives”. John Ragmac beautifully added, “At first, there was a natural sense of awkwardness, we were strangers, after all. But that feeling didn’t last long. From the moment we stepped into their home, our foster family embraced us with such warmth and genuine hospitality that it felt like we had known each other for years. They didn’t just welcome us into their house, they welcomed us into their hearts.”

Finding God in the simplest of things

Staying with farmers, Riadel Alcantara shared how being with them “changed [her]”. She wrote, “From the moment I arrived, they welcomed me like I was one of their own. Their home was simple, but it was full of warmth and love.”

“During my stay,” she said, “I witnessed firsthand the daily life of farmers -the early mornings, the hard labor under the sun, and the deep connection they had with the land. Watching them work tirelessly just to earn enough to provide for their family made me reflect deeply on my own life. Their resilience and patience were truly inspiring.”

“It really amazed me how they found joy even in simple shared meals and conversation with each other. We were from different parts of the country, [but] instead of us adjusting for them it was otherwise, they adjusted for us.”

“This experience humbled me,” she shared. “It reminded me that not everyone lives in comfort, yet many live with contentment. It taught me to appreciate the people who grow the food we eat and to respect the work that often goes unnoticed. Most importantly, it reminded me that God is truly present in the lives of the poor and the simple. I came as a pilgrim, but I left as a changed person -grateful, grounded, and spiritually renewed.”

God meets us where we are

Reflecting on their own journey and experiences, Israel Pilor, one of the delegates of the Military Ordinariate, also credited the NYD for “reigniting in [him] something [he] thought [he] had lost”. Israel shared with his foster Mother and siblings that prior to attending the national event, he “was on the verge of giving up everything”.

“I even thought of walking away from the ministry I once felt so passionate about,” he said. But joining the NYD “was more than just attending an event”, Israel shared. “It was a [journey of] healing, a rekindling.”

“Through the prayers, the katoods, the stories, the silence, the foster families and siblings, and the presence of God that was so real in every moment, I found myself again,” he said. “If there is one thing I realized, God meets us exactly where we are: exhausted, broken, confused, and turns it into something beautiful.”

A life-changing experience

Coming from the Diocese of San Jose de Antique, Joel Sasota, Jr. described his NYD experience as “truly a unique and life-changing [one]”. He shared that he “was deeply moved by the people of Naga and their devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Inâ”.

In addition, he said “meeting fellow young people from different parts of the country inspired [him]”. The bond he formed and shared with his fellow pilgrims was very palpable that they “ were not strangers” anymore. “We were pilgrims united in mission and faith,” he shared.

“Staying with my foster family also felt like coming home,” he said. “They didn’t treat us as visitors, but as part of their own family. They cared for us, provided for us, and worried about us. Listening to their family stories made me feel as if I had been part of their journey all along.”

In conclusion, Joel said, “I believe God truly intended for me to be there -to witness His love, to rediscover my purpose, and to keep the fire burning within me.”

The National Youth Day, hosted by the Archdiocese of Caceres, was held last June 10-14 and gathered over 6,000 youth delegates.

Delegates from the Dioceses of Alaminos, Bacolod and San Jose de Antique, and the Military Ordinariate share light moments with their foster families during the National Youth Day, sharing stories over cups of coffee at the Beans and Cream Cafe -one of the local tourism partners of the Naga City Government for the said national event. (Photo credit: Immaculate Conception Parish, Naga City)