【講師コラム】マリア講師No.9 ～What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?～

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you won the lottery? Me, I have! Many times! Here in the Philippines, there is a hilarious television series that’s called “Pepito Manaloto”. It’s about Pepito’s simple and underprivileged life changing after he becomes the lone winner of 700 million pesos in the national lottery. This TV series had made me desire Pepito’s rags-to-riches story, and I bet same goes for every Filipino who have watched it too. I have never purchased a lottery ticket before but I still daydream of what to do if I instantly become a multimillionaire. I even remember telling my family about my plans. Actually, what I would do if I won the lottery have already been decided long ago. 😀

First thing that I would do is to donate a portion of my winnings to our church as an act of gratitude. This will help the church leaders continue their mission in service to God. They can allocate the money in support of their mission, weekly services, help those who are less fortunate, and more.

The second thing that I would do is I would utilize a big part of my winnings to build an orphanage. I felt really happy when I had the chance to volunteer as a tutor in an orphanage as a part of our community service back in college. I did teach orphans. It was challenging to connect myself to them and be their friend. These children all carry some emotional baggage from their past memories, so I needed to make a place for myself in their hearts first. That experience has really changed my outlook towards life. In the Philippines, it is estimated that nearly 2 million children are either neglected or abandoned by their households. This is because of high levels of poverty and teenage pregnancy, natural disasters, or mothers forced to find domestic work overseas. Government provides them support but I don’t think that is enough. So, if I would win the lottery, I would really love to build my own organization and provide a safe, caring and loving environment for these children. Soon, I’ll find time to volunteer again and in a better way possible.

Next thing that I would do is to travel more. I’d take my family and close friends on a trip because I’ve always wanted to create memories with all of us together; so, I’d use my money to make that happen. I am also very fond of music and dancing; so, I would definitely go to every concert of my favorite artists, especially BTS. It is my dream to see them in person and experience their concert. I would take all my friends who love them too with me! As for my lifestyle, I think I wouldn’t change much after winning the lottery. I don’t think I can stand to live a glamorous life, so I wouldn’t live too differently than I do now. I would still live with my family, renovate our house and hang out with my friends from time to time. That’s it. How about you, kids? What are your plans if you win the lottery? Let’s talk about it in our class! Thank you for reading this blog!