by Christopher Martinus, 22 years old Before coming for School of Witness (SOW), I was very self-centred. Being awkward around large groups of people, I preferred to be alone. Furthermore, I didn’t like trying new things. Somehow, everything worked out and university was decent. I even secured a job beginning this March. I thought life
by Isabel Tan, 19 years old From the age of six, I was made to play tennis and hated it for the most part —especially my parent’s disappointment when I lost a match, and feeling like I wasn’t living up to my father’s name and expectations. As the second oldest amongst my cousins and with
by Claudia Tan, 20 years old I grew up in a typical Asian household – my parents were strict, impersonal and top-down for most part. I yearned dearly for their love and affection, to be coddled by hugs and kisses and “I love you-s”, but I hardly ever received them. Even though I am now
by Charmaine Louis I grew up as an independent middle child in a family of five. My mother often reminded me how expensive it was to have me from the weekly injections she needed to take to stabilize the pregnancy, to the emergency c-section. Until I was 8 years old, I would get asthma attacks
by Andrea Chong, 19 years old Like many teenage girls, I face insecurities about my looks and my body. To make things worse, I belong to a naturally skinny family who jokingly point out from time to time that I’m the “meatiest” in the family. I also started to use Instagram since I was 11
by Thea Rezel, 19 years old Before attending the School of Witness (SOW), I haboured self-hatred and felt emptiness and loneliness. This began when I was separated from my close friends, having to go to Junior College alone. I felt abandoned and feared missing out. A friend who I treasured also left me and I
by Matthew Christee (above photo, middle), 24 years old Growing up, I never felt special or important. My parents quarreled constantly and home never felt like home. Spiritually, I felt I had no gifts. Even though I was active in my parish, I felt like my absence wouldn’t make a difference. I was envious of
by Elizabeth Fam (above photo, second-left), 19 years old Before coming to the School of Witness (SOW), I was a typical Sunday Catholic. I was distant from God and I didn’t understand the value of prayer as I didn’t think that it would help me in any way. I treated God like a vending machine
by Christabel Neo (above photo, left), 26 years old Since encountering Christ three years ago, there has been ups and downs in my faith journey. I constantly strive to be a good catholic, and desired to love as how God loves me. Yet in the striving, I was quickly worn out. Coming to fall in
by Clara Tee, 25 years old Since I was a child I grew up with lots of affirmation. It. Was. Great! But to ensure I was liked by others, I started to change my identity to fit a certain mould. I would take a mental note of admirable qualities I saw in people or in
