Leaving Home at 14: Dreaming of Freedom
"For I know well the plans I have in mind for you — plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope." — Jeremiah 29:11 (NABRE)
What dreams have I carried in my heart — and where has God been present in them?
Many young people today still face the weight of inherited poverty, broken dreams, and silent struggles. Yet within every heart, there is a longing — for freedom, for dignity, for life beyond these limitations. The Church, through its social teaching, calls us to help all the young recognize their God-given worth and calling.
At 14 years old, I made a bold choice: I left home — carrying only my dreams — because I longed to be free from poverty. I knew hardship too well — but I believed: "God will provide."
I planted this in my heart: I will pursue higher education. I will seek a better life — for myself, my family, my people. This was not ambition — it was hope.
In my Philosophical Exposition on Poverty, I wrote: “The movement of Spirit (Geist) awakens in persons the longing for freedom, for participation in the greater unfolding of history.”
My leaving home was not a rejection — but a step toward this greater unfolding.
Vatican II calls this the rightful dignity of every person: "Every type of discrimination is to be overcome and eradicated as contrary to God's intent." (Gaudium et Spes, 29)
The Franciscan vision teaches us: Poverty is not destiny. Through education, humility, and faith, persons can rise — and offer their lives in service to others.
I now see: that first step of leaving home was not escape — but vocation. A movement of Spirit.
MY PRAYER: Lord of life, thank You for the longing You placed in my heart — even as a young boy. Bless all the young who feel trapped today — in poverty, in fear, in despair. Plant in them a vision of hope. Guide them on paths of true freedom — through education, service, and compassion. May Your Spirit awaken new dreams in our land. Amen.
Michael Manzano Bantolin is a teacher and missionary who received his Master of Arts in Religious Studies from Saint Louis University. He is also the founder of the emerging Koinonia Institute, which seeks to heal memory, restore dignity, and build bridges between churches, cultures, and communities.