5th national ROVER moot (davao)

REFLECTION

I was very flattered when Mr. Ombrog told me that I’ll be one of the fifteen delegates that will go to Davao to represent Makati on the 5^th National Rover Moot ’08. At first, I was so excited because it will be my first time to go Davao and I quickly said yes, but then I was not also sure if I will take the risk when Mr. Ombrog required us to have a pocket money of two thousand pesos.

That time, I was very confused if I will continue or refuse that big chance of my life because my Father will have a big financial problem if I will go to Davao because he is also paying the summer class of my older brother which is one year ahead of me.

But still, I hoped and pray that God will help me and give me that chance to experience it.

Less than two weeks before our departure, I send a message to my Grandmother trough my mobile phone. My Grandmother was very grateful of that news and told me to be careful and also opened up the topic if I have a pocket money for that excursion and then I told that it was required to have two thousand pesos pocket money then she said to trust in God that He will help us.

My Grandmother tried to help me because she is also helping my Father on the Fee of the summer class of my older brother. After a night, she text me that God answered our prayers… she referred me to her schoolgirl which is graduate of education and now, a call center agent. I was so happy that God was very kind to me, so very kind that every time I need Him, he is always there.

After I got the money a week before our excursion, I started to prepare my things and clothes to bring. We have a several meetings for the things needed in our emersion and for our survival.

A night before our departure, my Grandmother and my Father wished me luck for my trip. I was very thankful especially to God. We had a review on our Rover vigil and also reminders on our attitude problems.

At last, we had arrived at Davao City International Airport and it was very fun and exciting especially when the Davao cultural dancers had welcomed us like foreigners. They teach us some few steps and had hand shake after when our service arrived.

After that, we had a parade of different councils and opened up the ceremony. Some scout executives have spooked up and assigned us to our different emersion sites.

At the BSP camp in Malagos, I can’t still feel the ambiance of being in the province until we had started our emersion; at Lacson Elementary school together with the delegates of Agusan Del Sur, Laguna and some participants from Davao.

I thought I don’t have the confidence to stand up in that emersion but I was wrong, together with Makati City council, we had stand up; we volunteered to host the campfire opening, the Barangay night and lead the assigned task in that school.

Even if we had wounds and scratch, we had still finished our work; the compose pit, cleaning the field and painting the walls. I together with my co-delegates also had fun because we had met new friends.

When we went back in the camp, we had a Spiritual event; scouting for peace. It was the great part of that Moot because at exactly three o’clock in the morning, we had started that religious service and the most thrilling of that is exchanging of signatures from other scouts and scouters in our yellow neckerchief which was given to us before the short program.

After that service, we had started our in-camp activities. It was great and very awe-inspiring because of the Malagos trail; even it was so hard, it was still exciting because of the great views from the top. The rappelling was also breathtaking because of the height and the best of all, the Moot fiesta. I felt bad after the closing ceremony because it was the end of our unity with each other but I know, it will be the start of our friendship and the start of my new beginning as a scout.

-John Paulo H. Iguban