By Nirva Delacruz
“INFJ.” Of the 16 Myers-Briggs Personality Types, the “Introvert-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging” type is the rarest personality, making up 1 to 2% of the population. INFJs are mysterious, mostly silent, swan-like entities who are, according to the MBTI, the most purpose-driven people you’ll ever meet. A strong belief system is at the core of the INFJ.
You can say that Stella Mariz Talco, Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) Learning Facilitator, is AJKFI’s resident INFJ. One of the youngest in the AJ Kalinga fam, this Gen Z represents a vibrant cross-section of the diverse team of the Foundation that has practically all the other generations represented: Baby Boomers; Gen X, and Millennials.
A passion for teaching
First joining the team in April 2021 as an office management staff, Stella was offered to take on ALS as its Instructional Manager in August. “I eagerly accepted, driven by my passion for teaching—a dream I feared might never be realized due to the pandemic,” she recalls. Accredited by the Department of Education, ALS “offers non-formal education to out-of-school youth and adults,” which in the case of the Foundation, includes street dwellers and drug war victims.
It wouldn’t be long before ALS would coax out Stella’s own light and unique gifts, seen foremost in her noble aspirations. She shares: “I am passionate about many things, but what truly ignites my spirit is my love for teaching and sharing knowledge. As a teacher, knowledge is my lifeblood, fueling my desire to inspire and uplift my learners.”
Teaching in the ALS program requires an extraordinary level of flexibility and empathy. When a student suddenly stops going to classes, a teacher can call his parents, but when a street dweller misses sessions where do you find him? The irregularity of the lives of the ALS learners becomes a considerable challenge in their academic life.
The missing student
For Stella, the role was no longer just “teacher” but also shepherd and intercessor. She recalls how she earnestly prayed to God that someone would finally find 75-year old Tatay Reynaldo, the oldest ALS learner in their batch, who had been missing for months. 3 months after Stella’s prayer, someone saw Tatay Reynaldo along a major thoroughfare in Manila. “Feeling ko talaga inanswer ako ni God (I feel like God really answered my prayer),” she shares.
The 26-year old cannot deny that her professional growth in AJKFI parallels her spiritual development. When asked about the biggest challenge she had to face during her 3 years in AJKFI, Stella shared about “an intense internal struggle” and the discouraging experience of several learners dropping out, leading to a low number of graduates. “I doubted my calling and felt my faith wavering under the weight of my responsibilities as a ‘panganay,’” she confessed.
Her biggest challenge yet
It was during this shaky time that Stella started praying the rosary and began training as a lector at a nearby parish. “…Through persistent prayers, unwavering love and support from my family, and the invaluable guidance of Kalinga, especially Fr. Flavie, I began to find my strength. Their encouragement helped me rebuild my resilience, reminding me that even in our darkest moments, we can rise and overcome,” she added.
This school year 2024 – 2025, Stella welcomed 25 learners, one of the biggest classes to date. The newly-hired Stella is a far cry from today’s Stella version 2.0. She can see that she is exactly where she is supposed to be. “Each day, seeing the joyful faces of my learners as they grasp a new lesson warms my heart. Our endless ‘kamustahan’ sessions strengthen our bond and remind me of the impact I have…Hearing them say they are thankful to have me as their teacher fills me with immense gratitude and purpose. These moments reaffirm my dedication and inspire me to continue making a difference, one lesson at a time,” Stella explains.
Wiser, more grounded, definitely more confident, this INFJ has found a mission to build her life on.