A PURPOSE LED BY LOVE
Another Valentine’s Day has passed and the memories of love expressed will quickly be forgotten.
However, on a Friday before Valentine’s Day, one group showed an expression of love that will be long remembered. Last Feb. 8, Quest Fellowship, a local Mandaue City church, hosted the first Night to Shine in Cebu.
Night to Shine is a worldwide event meant to turn the spotlight on the unintentionally disregarded portion of our community, which are people with special needs.
Fueled by former National Football League player Tim Tebow’s heart to reach out to the special needs community, Night to Shine is a night where these people genuinely shine.
The event is designed to give special needs people a prom night that they would otherwise never get to enjoy, changing the idea of Valentine’s Day from being an expression of romantic love to being an expression of God’s love.
“The church is too often known for everything it’s against. We want to give our attendees an opportunity to show our city that we are for Cebu, and for people who are not necessarily like us. That’s why we decided to partner with the Tim Tebow Foundation to host this event for people with special needs,” Quest lead pastor Les Tilka said.
Purely volunteer driven, Night to Shine gave the ultimate royal treatment to its guests— complete with a hair and makeup booth, karaoke, dance floor, red carpet, paparazzi and a ceremony where every guest was crowned as king or queen of the night.
Currently on its fifth year worldwide, Night to Shine has finally made its way to the Queen City of the South. The event took place in Oakridge Horizons with 87 guests with special needs along with their parents and over 200 volunteers, whose sole mission was to make their guests feel loved.
Night to Shine received a magnitude of praise from Cebu’s special needs community, which was evident by the genuine smiles on the guests’ faces as they partied with no inhibitions, the tears parents shed as they watched with joy and the satisfaction each volunteer felt.
One parent stated, “We really had fun. My son would never have experienced a prom if it were not for Night to Shine. I can’t be thankful enough!” while another said, “The joy my son felt was priceless. This is the first ever prom night for people with special needs and it was so heartwarming for a parent to witness that much love come from a stranger. Thank you for reaching out!”
There are many overlooked communities in our city and it’s inspiring to know that there are organizations, such as Quest Fellowship and the Tim Tebow Foundation that are devoted to sharing the love of God in such a magnanimous and meaningful way. Night to Shine is only one of the many methods for reaching out that can be significantly life changing for those it has been purposed for.
The spotlight has been shined on the special needs community and it will only get better for them. After Night to Shine, they know they are not forgotten. They know they are loved.
Night to Shine indeed was a night where God’s purpose and God’s love shined.