Christian is the epitome of a dreamer. His vocational dream is to pursue a medical degree "so that people who are sick can be cured even if they don't have money." This generous and courageous young man from the Philippines had another dream, which inspired his nation and touched the lives of people around the world.

As the first child to receive a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Philippines, Christian selected a truly unique wish. What did it take for Christian's wish to be fulfilled? It took the whole world. He wanted to "sing a song for the entire world" at the turn of the new millennium.

Volunteers and sponsors from this fledgling Make-A-Wish® affiliate worked feverishly to ensure that this incredible request exceeded Christian's most optimistic imaginations.

On the evening of December 31, 1999, Christian was joined by more than 2,000 children, some who arrived as early as 10:00 a.m. to rehearse, at the Manila Peninsula Hotel. "I was gathering enough energy and strength to face a magnificent milestone in my life," said Christian. Popular Asian singer Regine Velasquez joined the contingent to perform "Written in the Sand," Christian's song to the world.

Amidst a stunning backdrop of waterfalls cascading five stories high, Christian and his 2,000 young friends performed "Written in the Sand," offering a gesture of love, peace, and hope to the world and seeing Christian's greatest dream come to fruition.

How did the entire world witness Christian's wish coming true?

"Written in the Sand" was beamed to 55 major broadcast networks in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Africa — reaching more than a billion people. The first to view the broadcast were the people of the Kiribati Islands in Fiji, and Christian's song crossed 24 time zones, culminating in the Samoa Islands.

The event made Christian into an instant celebrity in his home country. He is often stopped in public and said, "Hey, you are the child who sang a song for the world?" The youngster doesn't appear to mind the attention.

Nearly a year after his wish was fulfilled, Christian continues to share the power of a wish®. In October, Christian addressed the global Make-A-Wish family during the Foundation's international convention. Needless to say, this remarkable young man is still making plans for the future.