magic mirror of me: Manila 2013

Assalamualaikum w.b.t,
After a month since my last journey to Bangkok, Alhamdulillah i was chosen to represent uitm for 4TH University Scholars Leadership Symposium at Manila,Philippines. Alhamdulillah 2013 given me lots of joyful moments. But deep down in my heart i know that i have to contribute something for the benefit of my religion and nation. All expenses including flight tickets , fees and other accomodation was sponsored by uitm. Alhamdulillah thanks to uitm. To be honest this was my first time to Manila and i was so excited as i love to make new friends but most importantly i hope that this journey will show me more about islam. Since this program was organised by Humanitarian Affairs UK, i was really excited as i really love humanitarian works. Basically the program have lots of talks from invited speakers on how to be an activist and it make me to think and analyse what are the problem in my place. On the third day of the symposium we went for a learning journey which was the heart of the symposium and i was chosen to go to a slump area in a metropolitan manila called Baseco Ecavuation Centre. It was just about 15 minutes from our hotel which is in the central of Manila. We spend the whole day having a child as our mentee. We did lots of activities and what make me very sad is when i saw many squaters around the evacuation center. And most of the family who lived there were muslims family. Since we went there during Ramadhan, all the non muslims friend were at first feel strange why we weren't eating anything. However we were fortunate as the organiser already prepare for us "sahur" or they called as "muslim breakfast". However, for this journey i was all alone and in fact throughout my journey from LCCT i was all alone as i never knew who i gonna meet there. Alhamdulillah in the flight before i arrived at Manila, i mada new friend. He was a Filipino guy who was working as a teacher in Malaysia and he was the one who's sending to my respective destination. It was because at first i thought there will be the organiser who pick me up from the airport however the bus only at terminal 1&2 as in Manila they have four terminal. Alhamdulillah nothing happened and one word that i can describe for filipino people is that they are all very friendly and helpful. Alhamdulillah i really enjoyed meeting new friends and walked around the metropolitan city of manila. However, unlike Bangkok i couldn't find a place like a street market to buy cheap souvenier and this time i didn't bring much money as i never intended to go for shopping spree. Since i went to Manila a week before Raya, therefore i almost celebrated my hari raya at Manila as my flight was delayed for about an hour. The best thing that i really love on my journey home i was able to have a company who's in the same flight. Alhamdulillah even though i was all alone on my journey to Manila alhamdulillah on my journey home i already made lots of new friend. A week after the symposium i received many emails and message through facebook and also many new friend requests. One of my friend from Japan planned to go to Malaysia this weekend and insyaallah i would love to help her travelling around the putrajaya. Another good news is that one of my filipino friend, she asked me to teach her Bahasa Melayu and not only that, she told me that she wanted to convert to Islam. When i asked her why, she said that when she's meeting me and few of my other Brunei girl, she feels that Islam teach people how to be a good leader. We were discipline as we pray five times a day and we also fasting but we still doing our job. Alhamdulillah she sees the beauty of Islam and now i am in the process of helping her. Insyaallah may Allah protect her and may Allah give her Hidayah to be our Muslim Sister. Insyaallah amin :)
At the end of this journey i really feel that this journey teaches me thousands of experience and most importantly i think we all muslims delegate of this symposium had successfully uphold the beauty of Islam among our non-muslim friends. Insyaallah may Allah ease everything :)