These days, it’s so fashionable to give in to the belief that the Philippines is hopeless, that it’s catch as catch can and the devil take the hindmost
But every once in a while, a story comes along that stands out because it highlights the best in every Filipino — the traits that we sometimes forget we have and that others have to see in us before we even remember that they exist.
Then, you realize that we’re only hopeless if we think we are. And that we can actually do something to improve the lives of the people around us if we set our minds to it.
Many people have heard of the story of Dylan Wilk, the rich young Englishman who started a life of improving the plight of poor, homeless Filipinos by selling his BMW to build cheap houses for 80 families. But few people really know what led Wilk to do what he did two years ago.
Now Wilk has settled in Manila, where he has become one of the most prominent endorsers of everything good in the Pinoy. He was interviewed by Bo Sanchez for Kerygma magazine, the alternative Christian glossy, which is published by Shepherd’s Voice.
Nowadays, when every politician seems to be talking about how to save the poor and the country without really doing anything, it’s nice to hear from someone who has actually dedicated his life to doing just that — one household at a time.
Dylan Wilk was born to a poor family. But at the young age of 20, he started a computer games company that made him a millionaire. Soon, Dylan operated in nine countries and ran his own TV channel. Then at the age of 25, Dylan sold his company for multimillion British pounds. He became the ninth richest person in the Great Britain under the age of 30.
But one night, while lying in bed, he was distressed by a nagging question that wouldn’t let him sleep. “God, why am I rich?”
He asked if there was a reason for his immense wealth. Ironically, he also felt terribly empty inside. This, despite his ability to have any kind of pleasure he wanted. He had just bought himself a brand-new Ferrari and took one holiday after another. But he was discovering that pleasure was like fire… it constantly needed more fuel to keep it going. And he realized he would never be happy in the path he was taking.
One day, a Filipina friend visited him. She said she felt guilty going there because her plane fare could have built two homes for the poor. That made Dylan pause. How can you build two houses for that measly amount? He decided to investigate.
In January 2003, he visited the Philippines. And for three hours, Gawad Kalinga (GK) Director Tony Meloto brought Dylan to different GK villages for the poor. With his own eyes, he saw something that would change his life forever…
But every once in a while, a story comes along that stands out because it highlights the best in every Filipino — the traits that we sometimes forget we have and that others have to see in us before we even remember that they exist.
Then, you realize that we’re only hopeless if we think we are. And that we can actually do something to improve the lives of the people around us if we set our minds to it.
Many people have heard of the story of Dylan Wilk, the rich young Englishman who started a life of improving the plight of poor, homeless Filipinos by selling his BMW to build cheap houses for 80 families. But few people really know what led Wilk to do what he did two years ago.
Now Wilk has settled in Manila, where he has become one of the most prominent endorsers of everything good in the Pinoy. He was interviewed by Bo Sanchez for Kerygma magazine, the alternative Christian glossy, which is published by Shepherd’s Voice.
Nowadays, when every politician seems to be talking about how to save the poor and the country without really doing anything, it’s nice to hear from someone who has actually dedicated his life to doing just that — one household at a time.
Dylan Wilk was born to a poor family. But at the young age of 20, he started a computer games company that made him a millionaire. Soon, Dylan operated in nine countries and ran his own TV channel. Then at the age of 25, Dylan sold his company for multimillion British pounds. He became the ninth richest person in the Great Britain under the age of 30.
But one night, while lying in bed, he was distressed by a nagging question that wouldn’t let him sleep. “God, why am I rich?”
He asked if there was a reason for his immense wealth. Ironically, he also felt terribly empty inside. This, despite his ability to have any kind of pleasure he wanted. He had just bought himself a brand-new Ferrari and took one holiday after another. But he was discovering that pleasure was like fire… it constantly needed more fuel to keep it going. And he realized he would never be happy in the path he was taking.
One day, a Filipina friend visited him. She said she felt guilty going there because her plane fare could have built two homes for the poor. That made Dylan pause. How can you build two houses for that measly amount? He decided to investigate.
In January 2003, he visited the Philippines. And for three hours, Gawad Kalinga (GK) Director Tony Meloto brought Dylan to different GK villages for the poor. With his own eyes, he saw something that would change his life forever…
