Jobert grew up in a family of four in rural Samar in the Philippines. His parents struggled to provide for him and his siblings on only his father’s salary as a janitor.
When he was little, Jobert always looked up to his aunt, who was a teacher. He and his siblings would always play ‘school’ and he was always the teacher. But every year, his parents worried that they would not have enough to give their children the supplies they needed to attend school.
It was December, nearing Christmastime the year Jobert was in grade five, when two Sisters knocked on Jobert’s door. They had come with the good news that Jobert had been selected by a Chalice sponsor!
“It was the most precious gift that I’ve received,” he says.
With his sponsors’ help and his dedication, Jobert went on to be salutatorian and accomplish his teaching degree. He graduated college with honors. “My gift to my sponsors for their help,” he proudly smiles.
Now he is “very proud and lucky,” to be teaching other sponsored children in the same school where he grew up. “It’s surreal,” he says, “but I am very happy that I am able to give back their help through teaching young minds.”
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