My Testimony

Hello, my name is Calvin Choi. I have been volunteering at Milal in Vancouver since September 2018. It has been a blessing to be a member of a community that flourishes in love and passion. Likewise, I have learned to love and learn the ways of Christ by ways of Milal.

Before becoming a part of Milal, the organization was always something curious about but never invested too much thought into joining. I was encouraged by my friend to give it a go before the school year started; I then went on to give it a shot. Like most who dive into new activities, it took me a while to come out of my shell. I was timid to talk and to everyone around me. As I became prayed hard to find my calling in this environment, everything slowly, but surely fell into place. I stuck with what I knew and continued to build up on what I learned.

However, by no means was Milal an easy commitment. It is hard to give up your weekend to volunteer and it may seem tedious, so I decided to persevere and find reasons and ways to find meaning. Balance is key. It is vital for someone who wants to thrive in Milal, to balance everything. Whether it be your personal life, your energy, your attention or your intensity. Everyone has a special trait that aids them to success, find your balance and your specialty, marry the two worlds and work hard! Empathy and generosity are two key virtues Milal will teach you. The act of putting others before you is essential for Milal to be worthwhile and fulfilling. To tend to our friend’s needs is like caring for any one of your peers, we all have something that we long for and need in order to relieve anxiety and stress, why should we be any different to our friends at Milal? Last but most definitely not least, we must love. Romans 12:9,10 says, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” To love is to be Christ-like. We must love those in order to let that love grow. When we pray to start off our Saturday mornings, we do this in order to open up our hearts and let go of our busy lives; to make room for love. Love comes in many forms: praying for each other, correcting each other, talking to each other and much more. This is our “why” and foundation to why I volunteer at Milal. Because of love.

I believe that if one were to pursue all of what I have listed above, they will find meaning, happiness and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. To love one another, to care, to live meaningfully and powerfully. I pray that we all find our calling in this world. Through Milal I have found my joy and fulfillment, a reason to carry on when life gets tough. I hope that I have help those who read this to carry on with hope and find meaning in whatever it is that they do.