From St. John’s to the Philippines: Finding Faith and Purpose Through Service

Throughout my third year at St. John’s University, I found myself searching for two things: an opportunity to see more of the world and a way to reconnect with my faith.

As a biology major, I knew that studying abroad could become more difficult as my coursework became increasingly rigorous and specialized. I had started to accept that I may have missed my opportunity to travel, even though St. John’s had always been my home and had already given me so much.

At the same time, I was working to rebuild my faith. When I was younger, I constantly volunteered. I was an altar server, sang at Mass, and was very devout in my Catholicism. Somewhere along the way, however, I started paying less attention to my spiritual needs. Through new friends and connections, I slowly began to find God in my life again and prioritize my faith.

Then, I saw a flyer in the D’Angelo Center about the 2025–26 Campus Ministry Plunge program and decided to apply. What I initially saw as an opportunity to travel soon became something much more: a chance to strengthen my faith, serve others, and reconnect with a part of myself I had slowly begun to lose.

Finding My Way Back to Faith

Ahead of traveling, I was more excited than nervous. As the child of Nigerian immigrants, I have experience leaving the United States and visiting developing countries. When I was selected to participate in this plunge, I felt more reassured than anything.

While the Philippines is a unique country with its own people and culture, as a Nigerian American, it felt more like seeing my own nation from a new perspective. The St. John’s Queens, NY, campus has introduced me to students from many different backgrounds and cultures, including my former roommate and one of my closest friends, Samantha, who was born and raised in the Philippines. Because of these experiences and connections, I felt ready to embrace the trip with an open mind.  

Learning from the People of Payatas

One of the experiences that stayed with me took place in Payatas, a community in Quezon City, Manila. The area was once home to one of the largest trash dumpsites in the Philippines. However, after a major landslide in 2000, it underwent significant redevelopment into the livable community it is today.

Adamson University, a fellow Vincentian university and our host during the service trip, took us to meet participants in its S.O.W. program. S.O.W. stands for Solidarity with Orphans and Widows and provides education and work opportunities to family members of people who were unjustly murdered during the Philippines’ war on drugs.

The opportunity to meet these brave people truly changed me. The women and children we met had lost fathers, sons, and dear loved ones, which also affected their lives and livelihoods. Hearing how these individuals are unable to believe in their unjust government, which took their family members, yet still have to go to school and/or work and take care of their siblings or children every day, was deeply impactful.

One specific story was truly sorrowful. A widow in the program shared how she is currently battling breast cancer. However, the lack of proper infrastructure in the Philippines makes it difficult for the working class to get adequate care. Moreover, she is the mother of five children. 

Every morning she wakes up very early, gets her kids ready, takes them with her to a hospital in central Manila, waits hours to be seen, gets her treatment, and then returns home to continue caring for her family. Her story encapsulated her suffering and how she had to go on to care for her family regardless of what she was going through.

This moment exemplified how important this trip is. Through our service, we were able to bring a spark of joy to people’s lives, while also listening to stories and gaining perspectives we may never have encountered otherwise.

Discovering the Meaning of Selfless Service

The most meaningful part of the plunge was serving alongside and learning from the communities we visited. Our service looked different throughout the trip, but each experience taught me that service does not always have to be something grand or complicated.

For example, one of the service projects we participated in was a beach cleanup. It is a straightforward task that I could easily do in New York. However, having the opportunity to care for an environment that wouldn’t benefit my own community was beautiful. It was an example of truly selfless service as we bettered a community that wasn’t our own but had welcomed us in wholly. 

The Philippines plunge was much more than a service trip for me. It challenged me spiritually and personally and helped me understand what it means to serve others with grace. I started this experience hoping to reconnect with my faith, and I left with a deeper understanding of myself and my belief in God.   

This trip showcased faith in everything, from our service opportunities, the stories we listened to, and how we were welcomed into communities. Most importantly, the trip reminded me that service should not be centered on us. We should not serve so that we can say we volunteered or added an experience to our résumé. We serve because people matter. The relationships and stories I encountered in the Philippines made that lesson impossible to forget. 

Taking the Lessons of the Plunge Back to St. John’s

Returning to St. John’s after my plunge did not mean leaving the lessons of the Philippines behind. I now think more intentionally about the impact that small acts of service and kindness can have on the people around me.

Furthermore, the plunge also reminded me why I became involved in service in the first place. Whether I am working with students on campus or being there for someone who needs support, I want to approach these moments with the same openness and humility that I learned in the Philippines. Caring for people requires more than knowledge; it requires compassion, patience, and a willingness to understand someone’s story.

If I could give one piece of advice to a student considering a Campus Ministry plunge, it would be to stay open to everything. Do not limit yourself because you are nervous, unfamiliar with the destination, or unsure of what to expect. Say yes to the conversations, service projects, uncomfortable moments, and experiences outside your comfort zone. The Philippines plunge gave me memories, friendships, a deeper faith, and a new understanding of service that I will carry with me far beyond St. John’s.