“True faith is not a leap into the dark; it’s a leap into the light.” – Eric Metaxas
Resigned.
This is how Alexander Carias felt as he mentally let go of his lifelong dream to support his family, his widowed mother and three older sisters, as a seafarer.
Choosing instead a vocational course that would take him 15 months to complete, he felt that the technical training was the answer to his prayers to earn credentials, upskill, and land a job faster.
What he didn’t know was that his love for his family and his unwavering faith in God would be rewarded with a surprise opportunity.
Alexander would soon realize that ANCOP’s TVET-Youth program was a warm-up for his original dream of riding the waves as a seaman.
“I felt beyond blessed,” Alexander said, looking back on his life in Don Bosco TI – Makati where he studied to be a fitter machinist.
The decision was both a careful consideration and a leap of faith.
After training, Alexander got to meet the Anglo-Eastern Crew Management Philippines Inc., which, at that time, was hiring fitter machinists for several sea vessels.
Of the 84 applicants in his batch, Alexander was one of only 8 people chosen and hired as seafarers for immediate deployment.
His initial plan was to simply gain experience from the training, work, save for several years, and only then apply again for a college course.
But the opportunity with Anglo-Eastern became a game changer, not only giving Alexander the chance to earn a living but also giving him his dream job!
“I am thankful for the people who believed in me. My family, friends, the people at Don Bosco and ANCOP who helped me to be where I am right now. And especially, God,” he shared.
As an ANCOP scholar since first grade and also as a member of the community for 8 years, from Kids for Christ (CFC – KFC) to Youth for Christ (CFC – YFC), Alexander’s new dream now is to give back the help he had received since the beginning of his journey to others who need it, through ANCOP. (Brienz Athena Suaberon)
