JOSEPHIANS | LUMEN
19
A
Passionate Pursuit
By Frankel Lin and Jonathan Soong
Pastoral worker , John Lum ' s greatest satisfaction comes from walking alongside with the youth in their difficulties .
John , the name he would have us addressed him by , is an old boy whose passion for helping others takes him to St . Ignatius Church . As a social worker who sees himself more as a pastoral staff , he offers his help and care in the Church community , focusing his energy on young people and guiding them when they are troubled , he is just as well a guardian for teenagers , and is always there to help them through any obstacles they face in life . Exposed to a diversity of teenage problems , Mr John Raphael Lum acknowledges that the job has greatly opened his eyes and heart to the world around him and feels more than contentment to be able to give back to society .
Surely the path of social work lacks the glamour that is associated with that of a doctor or banker but for John , there is undoubtedly no regret even though he comes from a family of bankers and it was almost expected that he would pursue that line . John , in his signature candidness , shared that social work was not his original choice of career . He was pursuing a banking course in Polytechnic when it struck him that there was a stark void in passion in what he was doing then . He made the decision to cease his studies during his final year in the course . Following that , John went on to pursue numerous other areas including hospitality while searching for his real passion and waiting for the calling . It finally came when he made his entry into social work .
Being a pastoral worker entails waking up at an obscure hour of the day to search for a frazzled teenager far from home , or counselling a troubled adolescent for endless hours . These have become
quite the norm for him . Devoted to the people he helps , John constantly checks his mobile phone for troubled messages . The intense commitment of the potentially draining vocation far from puts John off . In fact , the passionate John explains there is an invisible but powerful driving force that keeps the flame for guiding teenagers alive .
In devoting himself entirely to others , John also constantly makes the effort to spend time with his family and friends who are close to his heart . He goes out for meals together with his family members though they are often caught up in their own demanding lives . He does not forget about his friends either as he truly values the
He does not forget about his friends either as he truly values the friendship s which were forged during his years in SJI . friendships which were forged during his years in SJI .
Reminiscing those good years from 1997 to 2000 , John feels that his formative years as a teenager spent in SJI has nurtured him into the caring and reflective man that he is today . The holistic education he received in SJI has undeniably planted the pastoral seeds in him and now , he has become a component of the multiplier effect by committing himself to helping others grow .
The spirit of giving and service will continue to touch the lives and hearts of many through John . Even as he has charted the next chapter of his life to pursue something new , there is no question that John will always be a man for others .