Sister Minerva has shared with me a daily reflection book for Advent. In it are reflections by Thomas Merton, Henry Nouwen and Mother Teresa. Today's reflection ended with the sentence: Nothing is small for God.
It made me really stop in my tracks. I am getting ready to go to Providence Home, the mission house in the mountains, for the day and have a lot of things on my mind, but that sentence stopped me cold in my tracks. Nothing is small for God.
It is kind of hilarious to think about if you roll it over in your head for a minute. I mean, think about it for a minute. For God, the Creator of the universe, Who manages and designs all things, Who holds the stars and all of His creations in His mighty hands, Who is capable of doing ANYTHING, Who is so massive in my mind...for Him, nothing is small. He sees everything, and none of it is too small to matter.
A smile to a stranger, picking up a pen that someone dropped, playing fairly in a chess game, giving a compliment...these things seem teeny tiny, especially when compared to the awesome works of Mother Teresa...oh my!! But each one is precious in the eyes of our Lord because we are reaching out, however insignificant it is to us. And when we do these little things as a means of sharing our love for God with others, I believe it makes God smile with joy.
I might think that the work I am doing here is pretty insignificant... helping to direct a Christmas skit, typing out a song book, making an Advent calendar, to give a few examples. And when I am helping in the barrios with feedings and missions, it is so easy to become disheartened by the thought that, sure we are helping the people in this barrio, but there are hundreds of barrios just in the central part of Eastern Samar!! What kind of difference am I making here? But I am comforted by the thought that nothing is small for God. He sees everything and He treasures all of the little things I do each day for others. And the same is true for you. It all matters!
And each time I stop what I am doing to help someone else, no matter how small the task, He is pleased. Try noticing how many times a day you stop in your work, your chores or errands to help someone...even if it is just picking up a pen that they dropped. I think if you become aware of the little needs that people have and take the time to stop and help, when the big things come along it seems natural to help. And when it's done for the glory of God, all of heaven rejoices.
I don't know about you, but that thought makes me really want to fill my days doing things for others, little tasks or big, for the love of God. For, as St. Mother Teresa says, "God will not ask how many books we have read, how many miracles we have worked, but whether we have done our best for the love of Him...Nothing is small for God."
xxooxxoo
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Sunday, December 4, 2016
A 2 Month Picture Post
Wow! I can't believe I have been here for 2 months!! It seems pretty crazy to me how fast time goes by. I have had a lot of great experiences here over the past two months...just wanted to share with you some of the highlights:
Here are some of the scholars I live with at the Oikos Mission. This happened to be at a farewell party for some visitors to Oikos. All of these kids are so sweet and work very hard. It is a pleasure to know them and to be a part of their lives!!!
Here are some of the scholars I live with at the Oikos Mission. This happened to be at a farewell party for some visitors to Oikos. All of these kids are so sweet and work very hard. It is a pleasure to know them and to be a part of their lives!!!
Here we are preparing for the immersion in Conception and the surrounding barrios. We prepared food, clothes, school supplies, water filters, shoes, toys, blankets, rosaries and homemade diapers!!
And here we are in Conception at the Immersion, working hard but having fun!
Our Immersion Team:
Here is the Oikos Livelihood team led by Sister Clarissa. They run the FAITH program and the Piglet Recycling and Fattening programs. They do an awesome job from presenting the programs to helping the people begin to monitoring the beneficiaries progress throughout the program. The pictures of the pigs are from the Oikos Pig Farm.
The following pictures are from when I went to Tacla-on and Sta. Cruz to see the progress of the Piglet Recycling Program that I helped to start off the last time I was here. Now, the sows that we gave out last November are grown and have had their piglets!! How fulfilling it was for me to see the completion of a program that I had a hand in starting!! Not every beneficiary had a successful liter of piglets, but most did. On this day, we collected our payment from the beneficiaries: either 2 piglets or php3,000. It was totally awesome!
These pictures are taken from the launching of the FAITH Program (Food Always In The Home) in a town called Sabong. The pastor of the parish in Sabong, Msgr. Pepe, invited the Oikos Livelihood Team to teach people in his parish to begin the FAITH program. Currently, the Livelihood Team has running FAITH programs in 3 barrios, and 5 have completed the one-year program and are still going strong. Awesome!!!!!
Also in November, I went with Sister Ethel and one of the mothers, Nanay Bebe , pictured below, to cook meals for retired priests on their retreat. It was at a beautiful place in the mountains, Suiginon, and it was sssooooo quiet and peaceful there! When we weren't cooking, I read a book, sat outside in the cool air (yes, it was cool on the mountain!), and took some naps! It was like a mini retreat for me. From our house, we could see the ocean on one side and higher mountains on the other. Simply beautiful!!!
So, that is my past two months in a nutshell...now, onto December!! Our new project is the Good Wish Tree. We painted these branches and cut out 200 stars!! On each star is a name of a child in a new barrio we have never been to! The Oikos scholars, co-workers and people in the community are invited to choose a star or two and buy a gift for that child. Then, we will go to this barrio on a day close to Christmas and bring games for the kids, food for the families and the gifts for the kids. We will bring Christmas to the barrio!!!
Always doing something new for the poor!! Never a dull day!!! God bless the Oikos Sisters!!
Here is a picture of me and some of the kids celebrating my 2 months here in Borongan:
So happy to be here!!
Thank you for the prayers these past few months!! Keep 'em coming!! I'll be praying for you too!!
xxooxxoo
Friday, December 2, 2016
A World Without Hope
Laum. In Waray Waray it means hope. As I look back on my life, I have really had a life full of hope. As a child, during the winter I would hope for a snow day with no school, and as Christmas neared I would hope for a certain gift from Santa. I can remember hoping that I would do well on tests...and that my teacher wouldn't call on me!! As I grew older, my hopes changed from being focused on me to focused on the world around me and the people in it. I hoped my grandmother would survive breast cancer...twice (!), and she did! I hoped my sister Margaret would be able to smile again after she lost her baby...she did too, a different but always beautiful smile! I've hoped for peace in our country and in our world. There is no end to the hopes I have had. I have seen a lot of hope in the Philippines, particularly in the eyes of those whom the Oikos Sisters help. But I have learned the harsh reality of life in the barrios...not all of it, but regarding hope...it seems there is none.
When we were coming home from the re-immersion in Conception, Sister Minerva, Sister Clarissa, Sister Aileen and I had a frank discussion about life in the barrios. It started because I was mentioning how many children there are in Conception and in the surrounding barrios. It seems that because of the high price of fares to leave the barrio, few people travel from the barrio to the city and back for work, so they stay where they are. Many are not educated past grade 6, some have no education beyond grade 2. And as they grow up, they have no hope for a different future...there is no money to provide for something different, so they just live.
Many people are "married" by the age of 15 and begin having children right away. But because they need a "live birth record" or birth certificate to get married, (civilly or in the Church) many don't bother with a ceremony as to get the record, they must pay a fee and travel to a far city to get it. Another hindrance to a marriage ceremony is the shortage of priests in the barrios. Many only have mass said in their barrio once or twice a year! There have been times when a priest will go into a barrio and marry a group of people all together. He has a marriage preparation seminar for the people, and then marries them in one ceremony...it could be 10 or 12 couples or more. So, people just forgo the ceremony and begin their lives together. But they have no hope for a better life.
There are only so many jobs for people in the barrio, and even if they are lucky enough to own land to plant on, getting food to the city market is so expensive, sometimes no profit can be made. And the others? It is a devastating thought that these capable people do not work, cannot provide for their growing families, have no hope for something better. I cannot even imagine a world without hope...I don't want to even try.
So what is the answer? The government's answer is to do nothing. They say that if you give them help for nothing, the people will begin to feel entitled and will just take and take and not move forward. The government frowns on organizations like the Oikos Sisters, but they are slow to do things that would improve the chances of people finding work like build a road to the far flung barrios, create programs that help people pay for the travel fares, create jobs or encourage businesses to enter the barrios. Some might say give the people birth control, but first of all, all life from God is a gift and each life has a purpose and the possibility of making this world a better place. Secondly, these people have no access to doctors to help them deal with the medical issues that come with using birth control, not to mention the money to pay the doctors for care. It is a grim and dark life, a very hard and painful one.
I don't even want to think about living in a world without hope. It seems to me to be the saddest existence ever. And yet, day in and day out, the people in the barrios wake up, go through their days without enough food, without help, without hope for anything that transforms their bitter existence.
You must know me well enough by now to know that I cannot leave this blog on this dour note. The thing I love about the Oikos Sisters is that they don't just hand stuff out to people...well, they do, but they do so much more! They give the people hope. They teach them how to grow vegetables and fruits organically, on risers so they are not digging into land that isn't theirs, they teach them how to raise piglets for breeding and fattening, they send their children to school and bring doctors and dentists right to them. They provide medications for them so they can hope to be healed. They listen to these people...like Jennifer and her son John Mark that I wrote about a few blogs ago... the Sisters paid for the fare for Jennifer and her son to return to her family in Manila. They are amazing!
Even now, they are planning a Christmas Giving in several barrios...we made a giving tree and received names of children from several barrios. We have 200 names of children!! Some of the gifts will be bought by the Oikos kids, some by Oikos co-workers and some by people in our parish. A few days before Christmas, we will bring Christmas to the barrios. Every year they do something like this for the poor. Last year we fed over 300 people on Christmas day, a few years ago the Sisters made Christmas food packs of rice, sugar, coffee, noodles, ingredients for pancet and some fruit. They traveled toward the south and stopped at every small house they drove by, knocked on the door, sang a few Christmas carols and gave the family a food pack. This year we will bring gifts for the children, games for a Christmas party and food for the families for Christmas to a few barrios. They are always finding new ways to help the poor, to bring them hope.
But they are only 5 Sisters. This Advent, please pray for vocations to the Oikos Sisters' Mission. They need more workers in the field... not only sisters, but missionaries and co-workers too. And if you would like to help the Oikos Sisters bring hope to the poor here in the Philippines, you can make a donation at http://www.PoorHouseholdofGod.org. Unbelievably, 100% of your donation goes directly to the poor here in the Philippines...and I am witness to the careful usage of your donations here. Lastly, please pray for the Oikos Sisters. They carry the burden of the hopelessness here.
Laum...Hope...It is something that is often taken for granted, and it shouldn't be! Hope is what gets us up and out and on our way. Hope is what drives us and what encourages us on when the situation we are in seems full of devastation and despair. I remember in the great movie Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman's character was without hope, and he was pressing his fellow inmates to let go of hope. But in the last scene he began to hope, in fact, I think the last line of the movie is "I hope..."
I hope for so much for the poor here...I hope they no longer feel the bitter pangs of hopelessness and can feel the love of God through all of us. I hope... xxoo
When we were coming home from the re-immersion in Conception, Sister Minerva, Sister Clarissa, Sister Aileen and I had a frank discussion about life in the barrios. It started because I was mentioning how many children there are in Conception and in the surrounding barrios. It seems that because of the high price of fares to leave the barrio, few people travel from the barrio to the city and back for work, so they stay where they are. Many are not educated past grade 6, some have no education beyond grade 2. And as they grow up, they have no hope for a different future...there is no money to provide for something different, so they just live.
Many people are "married" by the age of 15 and begin having children right away. But because they need a "live birth record" or birth certificate to get married, (civilly or in the Church) many don't bother with a ceremony as to get the record, they must pay a fee and travel to a far city to get it. Another hindrance to a marriage ceremony is the shortage of priests in the barrios. Many only have mass said in their barrio once or twice a year! There have been times when a priest will go into a barrio and marry a group of people all together. He has a marriage preparation seminar for the people, and then marries them in one ceremony...it could be 10 or 12 couples or more. So, people just forgo the ceremony and begin their lives together. But they have no hope for a better life.
There are only so many jobs for people in the barrio, and even if they are lucky enough to own land to plant on, getting food to the city market is so expensive, sometimes no profit can be made. And the others? It is a devastating thought that these capable people do not work, cannot provide for their growing families, have no hope for something better. I cannot even imagine a world without hope...I don't want to even try.
So what is the answer? The government's answer is to do nothing. They say that if you give them help for nothing, the people will begin to feel entitled and will just take and take and not move forward. The government frowns on organizations like the Oikos Sisters, but they are slow to do things that would improve the chances of people finding work like build a road to the far flung barrios, create programs that help people pay for the travel fares, create jobs or encourage businesses to enter the barrios. Some might say give the people birth control, but first of all, all life from God is a gift and each life has a purpose and the possibility of making this world a better place. Secondly, these people have no access to doctors to help them deal with the medical issues that come with using birth control, not to mention the money to pay the doctors for care. It is a grim and dark life, a very hard and painful one.
I don't even want to think about living in a world without hope. It seems to me to be the saddest existence ever. And yet, day in and day out, the people in the barrios wake up, go through their days without enough food, without help, without hope for anything that transforms their bitter existence.
You must know me well enough by now to know that I cannot leave this blog on this dour note. The thing I love about the Oikos Sisters is that they don't just hand stuff out to people...well, they do, but they do so much more! They give the people hope. They teach them how to grow vegetables and fruits organically, on risers so they are not digging into land that isn't theirs, they teach them how to raise piglets for breeding and fattening, they send their children to school and bring doctors and dentists right to them. They provide medications for them so they can hope to be healed. They listen to these people...like Jennifer and her son John Mark that I wrote about a few blogs ago... the Sisters paid for the fare for Jennifer and her son to return to her family in Manila. They are amazing!
Even now, they are planning a Christmas Giving in several barrios...we made a giving tree and received names of children from several barrios. We have 200 names of children!! Some of the gifts will be bought by the Oikos kids, some by Oikos co-workers and some by people in our parish. A few days before Christmas, we will bring Christmas to the barrios. Every year they do something like this for the poor. Last year we fed over 300 people on Christmas day, a few years ago the Sisters made Christmas food packs of rice, sugar, coffee, noodles, ingredients for pancet and some fruit. They traveled toward the south and stopped at every small house they drove by, knocked on the door, sang a few Christmas carols and gave the family a food pack. This year we will bring gifts for the children, games for a Christmas party and food for the families for Christmas to a few barrios. They are always finding new ways to help the poor, to bring them hope.
But they are only 5 Sisters. This Advent, please pray for vocations to the Oikos Sisters' Mission. They need more workers in the field... not only sisters, but missionaries and co-workers too. And if you would like to help the Oikos Sisters bring hope to the poor here in the Philippines, you can make a donation at http://www.PoorHouseholdofGod.org. Unbelievably, 100% of your donation goes directly to the poor here in the Philippines...and I am witness to the careful usage of your donations here. Lastly, please pray for the Oikos Sisters. They carry the burden of the hopelessness here.
Laum...Hope...It is something that is often taken for granted, and it shouldn't be! Hope is what gets us up and out and on our way. Hope is what drives us and what encourages us on when the situation we are in seems full of devastation and despair. I remember in the great movie Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman's character was without hope, and he was pressing his fellow inmates to let go of hope. But in the last scene he began to hope, in fact, I think the last line of the movie is "I hope..."
I hope for so much for the poor here...I hope they no longer feel the bitter pangs of hopelessness and can feel the love of God through all of us. I hope... xxoo
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Re-Immersion in Conception
Earlier in October of this year, the Oikos Sisters, their team of volunteers, Mary Jane and Vic Trinkus and I went on an immersion in the northern-most barrios of Eastern Samar. We brought food, doctors, medicine, dentists, clothes, shoes, Water With Blessings water filtering kits, food packs along with a few prayerful reflections and catechesis for the children and the adults there. We served 4 different barrios, the medical and dental mission helped over 200 people and over the 3 days we were there, we served over 1,000 meals. It was awesome!
But, we didn't finish. So on Saturday, November 26th we went back to finish the job. But the story begins before that...
In my last blog I wrote about my Thanksgiving Day and about the typhoon that was coming into the Visayas region where I am. We originally were supposed to go to Conception on Friday, Nov 25th and stay over until Saturday. However, with the weather so bad, the threat of flooding and the roughness of the river (part of the trip to Conception involves riding on a boat) the mayor of Conception and the Oikos Sisters decided that it was not a good idea to go at that time. However, Friday was an absolutely beautiful day, so we decided to go on Saturday, just for the day.
We left bright and early, around 3am...dark and early is more accurate!! Packing food for our volunteers and more medical and dental equipment (some we left in Conception as we knew we were coming back) we filled up the trucks and were on our way. I didn't think much of the walk to the river before going on the boat... it is about a 15 minute walk...it starts with a steep hill and ends with a steep hill, with a few twists in between. But I have boots and pants, a jacket...I was all ready with my little day pack that had a change of shorts, water bottle and a few other things.
But when we arrived at the unloading spot, I saw the results of the storm the previous night... wet, soupy, slippery mud and lots of puddles of standing water. We had some strong young men who were helping us down the first hill. I have to say that Filipinos are, generally, very graceful and have awesome balance. I feel like Bozo the Clown around them in situations like this!!! Trying to climb down a steep, muddy, slippery hill with nothing to hold on to, and everyone watching is no fun, let me tell you! But conquer the first hill, I did!! I was thinking as I approached the second hill, covered in water and mud from walking along the side of the muddy road in the high grass, that I looked like I fell in the mud...nope. I didn't at all. I realized that after I fell in the mud!! I was trying to get down the second hill and stepped on a place that wasn't firm...and down I went, like on a slide! I was mortally embarrassed...even more so after seeing that hardly anyone else had even as much mud on them as I had before I fell! On the boat, I watched the male volunteers on our team carry heavy boxes of medical equipment on their shoulders while easily climbing over the hills and the muck. Wow!! I mean WOW!!!!!
However, once we got to Conception, and I changed into my shorts...gratefully, we got all set up, had some breakfast and a beautiful praise and worship session, I was in the mode for working! I was on a team with Sister Aileen, who is a nurse. I learned how to take people's blood pressure, how to administer the nebulizer and how to test people's sugar. I had a good day, spending some of it with the kids, who are always so drawn to me...it's so cute! We sang a few songs and I spoke to them in my broken Waray Waray, which they understood, thank you very much!! It was a good day!! With three doctors, two dentists, a few pharmacists and nurses...we were very busy!!
At about 4pm, when I assumed we were leaving, I learned that the priest, Fr. Arci, was asking us to stay one more day to finish up with the people who weren't seen by the doctors yet. One doctor and one dentist could stay, so the Sisters said ok. However...I had just packed a day pack...no pjs, toothbrush or paste, soap, change of clothes for the morning...nothing! Actually, I thought I was so smart because we were going to our mission house in the mountains directly after Conception on Saturday, so I had my big bag sent there the night before so I wouldn't have to carry it all day. No, not so smart!! Although the plan was to stay just for one day, almost everyone else had back ups just in case we stayed. I was a little distraught at first, but I quickly brushed off that mood for one of a lesson learned and enjoying the adventure of it all...and I did!
Over the two days, the doctors and dentists helped over 600 people with health care and free medications from the Oikos Charity Pharmacy!!! All were so happy to be helped, so, so happy that we came back and so relieved to have had seen a doctor. The amount of money it takes to travel from Conception to the nearest city, Arteche, is just about equal to a day's food for a family. It is a dear cost and isn't made often. And of the 4 barrios we helped, Conception is the closest to Arteche, from the other barrios, it costs more. Also, there is not signal in Conception or the other barrios surrounding it...no phone or computers...no way to call or email a doctor for advice. It is a grim reality.
As we left Conception, me in my dried muddy pants (!), we were sent off with smiles and gratitude. Despite the troubles I had, it was a great trip and I am so, so grateful to have been a part of it. So grateful to have had another learning experience that helped me to grow as a person and as a missionary. Growth is often painful...whether physical, emotional or spiritual, there can be a lot of pain in growing. But always, I keep in mind what my brother-in-law, John, likes to say..."Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger!" So, there I was...dirty, smelly, a little embarrassed and a lot tired, but stronger...and more knowledgeable about being a good missionary. That's what it's all about, folks!! Living and growing, loving and giving, and most importantly, trusting in the Good Lord that He has me in His mighty Hands. xxoo
A few immersion pictures:
But, we didn't finish. So on Saturday, November 26th we went back to finish the job. But the story begins before that...
In my last blog I wrote about my Thanksgiving Day and about the typhoon that was coming into the Visayas region where I am. We originally were supposed to go to Conception on Friday, Nov 25th and stay over until Saturday. However, with the weather so bad, the threat of flooding and the roughness of the river (part of the trip to Conception involves riding on a boat) the mayor of Conception and the Oikos Sisters decided that it was not a good idea to go at that time. However, Friday was an absolutely beautiful day, so we decided to go on Saturday, just for the day.
We left bright and early, around 3am...dark and early is more accurate!! Packing food for our volunteers and more medical and dental equipment (some we left in Conception as we knew we were coming back) we filled up the trucks and were on our way. I didn't think much of the walk to the river before going on the boat... it is about a 15 minute walk...it starts with a steep hill and ends with a steep hill, with a few twists in between. But I have boots and pants, a jacket...I was all ready with my little day pack that had a change of shorts, water bottle and a few other things.
But when we arrived at the unloading spot, I saw the results of the storm the previous night... wet, soupy, slippery mud and lots of puddles of standing water. We had some strong young men who were helping us down the first hill. I have to say that Filipinos are, generally, very graceful and have awesome balance. I feel like Bozo the Clown around them in situations like this!!! Trying to climb down a steep, muddy, slippery hill with nothing to hold on to, and everyone watching is no fun, let me tell you! But conquer the first hill, I did!! I was thinking as I approached the second hill, covered in water and mud from walking along the side of the muddy road in the high grass, that I looked like I fell in the mud...nope. I didn't at all. I realized that after I fell in the mud!! I was trying to get down the second hill and stepped on a place that wasn't firm...and down I went, like on a slide! I was mortally embarrassed...even more so after seeing that hardly anyone else had even as much mud on them as I had before I fell! On the boat, I watched the male volunteers on our team carry heavy boxes of medical equipment on their shoulders while easily climbing over the hills and the muck. Wow!! I mean WOW!!!!!
However, once we got to Conception, and I changed into my shorts...gratefully, we got all set up, had some breakfast and a beautiful praise and worship session, I was in the mode for working! I was on a team with Sister Aileen, who is a nurse. I learned how to take people's blood pressure, how to administer the nebulizer and how to test people's sugar. I had a good day, spending some of it with the kids, who are always so drawn to me...it's so cute! We sang a few songs and I spoke to them in my broken Waray Waray, which they understood, thank you very much!! It was a good day!! With three doctors, two dentists, a few pharmacists and nurses...we were very busy!!
At about 4pm, when I assumed we were leaving, I learned that the priest, Fr. Arci, was asking us to stay one more day to finish up with the people who weren't seen by the doctors yet. One doctor and one dentist could stay, so the Sisters said ok. However...I had just packed a day pack...no pjs, toothbrush or paste, soap, change of clothes for the morning...nothing! Actually, I thought I was so smart because we were going to our mission house in the mountains directly after Conception on Saturday, so I had my big bag sent there the night before so I wouldn't have to carry it all day. No, not so smart!! Although the plan was to stay just for one day, almost everyone else had back ups just in case we stayed. I was a little distraught at first, but I quickly brushed off that mood for one of a lesson learned and enjoying the adventure of it all...and I did!
Over the two days, the doctors and dentists helped over 600 people with health care and free medications from the Oikos Charity Pharmacy!!! All were so happy to be helped, so, so happy that we came back and so relieved to have had seen a doctor. The amount of money it takes to travel from Conception to the nearest city, Arteche, is just about equal to a day's food for a family. It is a dear cost and isn't made often. And of the 4 barrios we helped, Conception is the closest to Arteche, from the other barrios, it costs more. Also, there is not signal in Conception or the other barrios surrounding it...no phone or computers...no way to call or email a doctor for advice. It is a grim reality.
As we left Conception, me in my dried muddy pants (!), we were sent off with smiles and gratitude. Despite the troubles I had, it was a great trip and I am so, so grateful to have been a part of it. So grateful to have had another learning experience that helped me to grow as a person and as a missionary. Growth is often painful...whether physical, emotional or spiritual, there can be a lot of pain in growing. But always, I keep in mind what my brother-in-law, John, likes to say..."Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger!" So, there I was...dirty, smelly, a little embarrassed and a lot tired, but stronger...and more knowledgeable about being a good missionary. That's what it's all about, folks!! Living and growing, loving and giving, and most importantly, trusting in the Good Lord that He has me in His mighty Hands. xxoo
A few immersion pictures:
The steep and muddy hills:
Sister Michelle and, my partner, Sister Aileen working hard!
The doctors seeing their patients:
Some of my fans!!!
Some beautiful scenic views:
Monday, November 28, 2016
A Late Thanksgiving Post
As I begin to write this blog, I am realizing that this is the first Thanksgiving that I have been away from home without any Americans with me at all. In Africa, I celebrated it with Mary Clare, and we had those delicious thanksgiving gum balls from my sister, Linda. Last year I was here in the Philippines, and I was with Mary Jane Trinkus...I think on Thanksgiving day we were eating a feast on a fishing cage cottage right on the water and had crabs, many kinds of fish, root crops and delicious veggies. Now I realize that those Thanksgivings were so special, because although I was not with my God-given family, I was with such amazing people who knew what it meant to not be home for Thanksgiving, and were happy (I hope) to celebrate it with me. We didn't have turkey and all the trimmings...ours was more like the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving meets Survivor version, but we had each other and that was enough to be thankful for.
I should note that I am writing this blog days after Thanksgiving because of our busyness, and that, for me, the day almost went by without notice of its importance.
I had been in the southern part of Eastern Samar from Monday until Thursday (Thanksgiving) helping Sister Ethel cook meals at the retired priest retreat in Siuginon in Salcedo. It is an absolutely beautiful spot in the mountains where you can see the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. It has simple facilities and a pool filled with fresh water from the mountains. In between cooking meals, I would walk around the property, read my book outside, sleep...it was so quiet there, a real place of retreat and repose. It was chilly there, though, and it did rain quite a bit. On Thursday, our return day, it rained nonstop, and hard.
It wasn't until a few hours after we arrived home in Borongan that I heard about the typhoon. It was about 4pm in the afternoon and the rain hadn't stopped all day, in fact, it was becoming harder. For the past few weeks, the Sisters had been worrying about the river overflowing because of all the rain that was coming. A flood seemed imminent. We were under a typhoon alert as we are in the region where Typhoon Marce was heading. Around 5pm, the power went out. After being through two super typhoons, there is a lot of anxiety here when one is forecasted...I am sure you can appreciate their feelings. So, I began to make dinner in the dark. I made chicken adobo (that is chicken cooked in soy sauce, vinegar and sugar), paksiw (that is fish poached in vinegar, garlic and ginger), rice and a cucumber salad. As I began cooking, more and more people came into our home. Although Nazareth Home is directly across from the river, the residence is on the second floor, so it is pretty safe from flooding...except when Typhoon Ruby hit. Anyways, after I cooked one batch of adobo, I started another, and more rice, and then I made a fried rice with veggies and eggs because more people were coming in. As the night wore on, I made a third batch of adobo!! And pretty much, the food was all gone after everyone ate.
Around 10pm, the rain stopped but the wind remained strong. Our house full of people settled down as visitors found a place on the floor to sleep and candles were blown out. I think some were kept awake by the sound of the rain starting again, of the wind that would pick up every now and then, but for the most part, people were resting soundly. The next morning at breakfast, around 7:30 am, as I began to say the morning pray before we ate, I realized that at that very moment, my family, half a world away from me, was beginning to eat their Thanksgiving meal...and in my prayer I prayed for them. We may have not been together for Thanksgiving, and, because of the power outage, I may have been unable to talk to them, but thanks to the spherical shape of the earth and daylight savings time, we did eat at the same time!! (me breakfast and they dinner...but potato patato, know what I mean??)
I am so thankful for my big, beautiful family, for my friends, for all of the missionaries who have become a part of my life, especially Tom and Paula, and I am also so very grateful for my new Oikos family. So many blessings in one life. Thank you, Lord!
oh yeah....I'm also thankful that Typhoon Marce became a tropical depression and did not plummet Borongan!! Thanks for that too, Abba Father!!
xxoo
I should note that I am writing this blog days after Thanksgiving because of our busyness, and that, for me, the day almost went by without notice of its importance.
I had been in the southern part of Eastern Samar from Monday until Thursday (Thanksgiving) helping Sister Ethel cook meals at the retired priest retreat in Siuginon in Salcedo. It is an absolutely beautiful spot in the mountains where you can see the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. It has simple facilities and a pool filled with fresh water from the mountains. In between cooking meals, I would walk around the property, read my book outside, sleep...it was so quiet there, a real place of retreat and repose. It was chilly there, though, and it did rain quite a bit. On Thursday, our return day, it rained nonstop, and hard.
It wasn't until a few hours after we arrived home in Borongan that I heard about the typhoon. It was about 4pm in the afternoon and the rain hadn't stopped all day, in fact, it was becoming harder. For the past few weeks, the Sisters had been worrying about the river overflowing because of all the rain that was coming. A flood seemed imminent. We were under a typhoon alert as we are in the region where Typhoon Marce was heading. Around 5pm, the power went out. After being through two super typhoons, there is a lot of anxiety here when one is forecasted...I am sure you can appreciate their feelings. So, I began to make dinner in the dark. I made chicken adobo (that is chicken cooked in soy sauce, vinegar and sugar), paksiw (that is fish poached in vinegar, garlic and ginger), rice and a cucumber salad. As I began cooking, more and more people came into our home. Although Nazareth Home is directly across from the river, the residence is on the second floor, so it is pretty safe from flooding...except when Typhoon Ruby hit. Anyways, after I cooked one batch of adobo, I started another, and more rice, and then I made a fried rice with veggies and eggs because more people were coming in. As the night wore on, I made a third batch of adobo!! And pretty much, the food was all gone after everyone ate.
Around 10pm, the rain stopped but the wind remained strong. Our house full of people settled down as visitors found a place on the floor to sleep and candles were blown out. I think some were kept awake by the sound of the rain starting again, of the wind that would pick up every now and then, but for the most part, people were resting soundly. The next morning at breakfast, around 7:30 am, as I began to say the morning pray before we ate, I realized that at that very moment, my family, half a world away from me, was beginning to eat their Thanksgiving meal...and in my prayer I prayed for them. We may have not been together for Thanksgiving, and, because of the power outage, I may have been unable to talk to them, but thanks to the spherical shape of the earth and daylight savings time, we did eat at the same time!! (me breakfast and they dinner...but potato patato, know what I mean??)
I am so thankful for my big, beautiful family, for my friends, for all of the missionaries who have become a part of my life, especially Tom and Paula, and I am also so very grateful for my new Oikos family. So many blessings in one life. Thank you, Lord!
oh yeah....I'm also thankful that Typhoon Marce became a tropical depression and did not plummet Borongan!! Thanks for that too, Abba Father!!
xxoo
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Living By The Spirit
I've written some pretty fantastic things in this blog that the Oikos Sisters do. From sending kids to school to feeding the poor in the barrios, from teaching all people about God to giving free medications to the poor. They eat sleep and breathe their charism, like going to the poor where they are and giving them a hand up like in the immersion and livelihood programs. It is all amazing but it all takes time to prepare and people to do it. But, sometimes, the most Incredible giving is done spur of the moment, when the Holy Spirit taps you on the shoulder and asks you to help. I think that's happened to me a lot, but perhaps my busy schedule or shyness, perhaps even intimidation has kept me at times from approaching strangers and seeing if they need help. I think the Oikos Sisters live so tuned into the Holy Spirit that they go at the merest tap and they trust with all of their being that God will protect them. Today I was witness to such an occurrence, and it literally moved me to tears.
Sister Minerva and I were at mass this morning, as usual, and after the mass we began to leave. However, Sister Minerva saw a woman and a young boy who were sitting quite a few pews up from us. As we were leaving, she suddenly turned and walked to the other door where the woman and her son was. She greeted them and asked them about their lives.
The woman's name is Jennifer, and her son is John Mark. She is from Manila, but when she got married she lived with her husband in CanAvid, a town north of Borongan. She has 3 other children besides John Mark. A few years ago, Jennifer's husband was killed, how or what for, I do not know, but Jennifer feared for her life and the lives of her children. So, they went back to Manila and lived with her grandmother in a teeny home. Deciding to return to CanAvid to see if she could get help from the government there, she and John Mark went there, but to her dismay, because she no longer lived in Can Avid, they offered her no help.
Jennifer decided to come to Borongan, where a distant relative lives, and see if she could get the fare back to Manila. However, the family here is poor as well and is unable to help. Now, Jennifer and John Mark spend their nights sleeping behind the stage at the plaza in the center of town and spend their days begging for food on the streets, hoping to get food for the day, let alone the fare for a trip for 2 back to Manila. She is a beautiful woman with kindness in her eyes, and my heart ached for her when I heard her story.
She tried a few times to approach the priests in the cathedral, but shyness and embarrassment about her situation kept her from asking for help. So, Sister Minerva offered to help introduce her to the priests and told Jennifer where to go to get food always at Oikos. Upon coming home, after our morning prayer, I asked Sister Minerva how else we can help her. The Sisters were given money from a former resident of Borongan, and she said she feels called to give Jennifer the fare to Manila this very day!! I cried out loud and hugged Sister Minerva...my heart just broke thinking of this woman and her son sleeping outside, going to bed hungry, far away from the rest of her family, especially her children. And to think that in just a little bit, they will be together again...oh my, my heart just leapt!!!
That is the way, here in Oikos... to be open to the Holy Spirit where ever He sends you, whenever He taps you on the shoulder. And to give. Certainly, there are needs here in Oikos, certainly the pharmacy needs more medications to give to the poor, certainly we will need to get more rice so we can hand it out to whoever knocks at our door, certainly there are many more needs, but certainly there are people right in front of us who often get overlooked because we are thinking of the big picture, of the many needs we have and the many errands we have to run. But, even with all of those things on her mind, Sister Minerva saw someone in need, and she immediately responded to that need...and lives were changed. That is one of the things the Oikos Sisters have learned over these past 18 years...I trust with all my being that God will see to my needs and the needs of those who are under my care, and I see to the needs of the person right in front of me. He will provide if only I have the courage to trust.
Living by the Spirit...being moved by the Spirit...how awesome is that? The next time I feel that tug, I'm going to respond!!
Sister Minerva and I were at mass this morning, as usual, and after the mass we began to leave. However, Sister Minerva saw a woman and a young boy who were sitting quite a few pews up from us. As we were leaving, she suddenly turned and walked to the other door where the woman and her son was. She greeted them and asked them about their lives.
The woman's name is Jennifer, and her son is John Mark. She is from Manila, but when she got married she lived with her husband in CanAvid, a town north of Borongan. She has 3 other children besides John Mark. A few years ago, Jennifer's husband was killed, how or what for, I do not know, but Jennifer feared for her life and the lives of her children. So, they went back to Manila and lived with her grandmother in a teeny home. Deciding to return to CanAvid to see if she could get help from the government there, she and John Mark went there, but to her dismay, because she no longer lived in Can Avid, they offered her no help.
Jennifer decided to come to Borongan, where a distant relative lives, and see if she could get the fare back to Manila. However, the family here is poor as well and is unable to help. Now, Jennifer and John Mark spend their nights sleeping behind the stage at the plaza in the center of town and spend their days begging for food on the streets, hoping to get food for the day, let alone the fare for a trip for 2 back to Manila. She is a beautiful woman with kindness in her eyes, and my heart ached for her when I heard her story.
She tried a few times to approach the priests in the cathedral, but shyness and embarrassment about her situation kept her from asking for help. So, Sister Minerva offered to help introduce her to the priests and told Jennifer where to go to get food always at Oikos. Upon coming home, after our morning prayer, I asked Sister Minerva how else we can help her. The Sisters were given money from a former resident of Borongan, and she said she feels called to give Jennifer the fare to Manila this very day!! I cried out loud and hugged Sister Minerva...my heart just broke thinking of this woman and her son sleeping outside, going to bed hungry, far away from the rest of her family, especially her children. And to think that in just a little bit, they will be together again...oh my, my heart just leapt!!!
That is the way, here in Oikos... to be open to the Holy Spirit where ever He sends you, whenever He taps you on the shoulder. And to give. Certainly, there are needs here in Oikos, certainly the pharmacy needs more medications to give to the poor, certainly we will need to get more rice so we can hand it out to whoever knocks at our door, certainly there are many more needs, but certainly there are people right in front of us who often get overlooked because we are thinking of the big picture, of the many needs we have and the many errands we have to run. But, even with all of those things on her mind, Sister Minerva saw someone in need, and she immediately responded to that need...and lives were changed. That is one of the things the Oikos Sisters have learned over these past 18 years...I trust with all my being that God will see to my needs and the needs of those who are under my care, and I see to the needs of the person right in front of me. He will provide if only I have the courage to trust.
Living by the Spirit...being moved by the Spirit...how awesome is that? The next time I feel that tug, I'm going to respond!!
Monday, November 14, 2016
Just Some Things
I've had some end of the day revelations, I guess you'd say. Nothing that would change the world, really, but when they occur to me, I have a little laugh.
...the other night I was going to the bathroom, it was around 7pm, and I realized that I hadn't used the bathroom since getting up that morning...5am!! It was so hot, I sweated out all of my pee! gross!
...I am so grateful for the shower we have in Nazareth Home. It feels so good to stand under the spray and just let the cold water pound on my back. But even bucket baths are great. At the end of a long day of working, sweating, walking around in flip flops, to be able to wash off all of the grime and dirt...ahhhh! I realized the part of my body that feels the best to clean at the end of the day is my feet!!! I scrub them clean and feel like a new person!!
...When I am trying to fall asleep at night, I usually hear things that I hope are outside my window, but that I know are probably in my room...I know I have a few lizards in my room, that's ok because I know they eat the ants and the spiders! But I think there is a mouse there too!! Sometimes I see something out of the corner of my eye and pretend I didn't see it! There might be a cockroach that finds its way into my room at times as well, but I've become quite good at getting rid of them! So, the other night I was falling asleep, listening to the random noises around me, trying not to think of the menagerie of creatures in my bedroom and I laughed...if only my mother could see me now!!
...I am trying to perfect a recipe for Sister Minerva. She and baby Abby are allergic to eggs, so whenever there is a birthday celebration, they can never have cake because the cakes from the bakeries all have eggs in them. So, I found a recipe for an eggless cake and made it. It was good! But the frosting was not. It was so sweet, even the kids weren't crazy about it!! So, I thought maybe a simple whipped cream frosting. Well, they don't sell heavy cream here, just all purpose Nestle cream in a box...sold on the dry shelves! So I try my hand at whipping it up... by hand, singing church songs as I whipped, for ever. At last it was close to the right consistency, and suddenly it curdled!! It was ruined! I admit to having a bit of a Fred Flintstone moment... rrrochin, fynchen crivinn...(see...not so much the sweet one now!) And a quick search on the internet led me to the reason why...it started to become butter, that and the heat of the Philippines. So I'll try again, this time whipping it over a bowl of ice. But, my golly! I'm not used to not having things I make work out! Sometimes the bitter pill of humility is hard to swallow...but what helps is to be able to laugh at yourself. So I do, and I try again, both the whipping and the humbling!!!
I think its all about balance... taking the good with the bad, knowing what you have the ability to change and what you have to accept as reality, being able to let the little things go and concentrate on the big ones and topping all that off with a big serving of gratitude to God for all of it. And praying... prayer always helps!! I'll admit that now and again it does feel good to have a Fred Flintstone moment, but prayer is the better choice! xxoo
...the other night I was going to the bathroom, it was around 7pm, and I realized that I hadn't used the bathroom since getting up that morning...5am!! It was so hot, I sweated out all of my pee! gross!
...I am so grateful for the shower we have in Nazareth Home. It feels so good to stand under the spray and just let the cold water pound on my back. But even bucket baths are great. At the end of a long day of working, sweating, walking around in flip flops, to be able to wash off all of the grime and dirt...ahhhh! I realized the part of my body that feels the best to clean at the end of the day is my feet!!! I scrub them clean and feel like a new person!!
...When I am trying to fall asleep at night, I usually hear things that I hope are outside my window, but that I know are probably in my room...I know I have a few lizards in my room, that's ok because I know they eat the ants and the spiders! But I think there is a mouse there too!! Sometimes I see something out of the corner of my eye and pretend I didn't see it! There might be a cockroach that finds its way into my room at times as well, but I've become quite good at getting rid of them! So, the other night I was falling asleep, listening to the random noises around me, trying not to think of the menagerie of creatures in my bedroom and I laughed...if only my mother could see me now!!
...I am trying to perfect a recipe for Sister Minerva. She and baby Abby are allergic to eggs, so whenever there is a birthday celebration, they can never have cake because the cakes from the bakeries all have eggs in them. So, I found a recipe for an eggless cake and made it. It was good! But the frosting was not. It was so sweet, even the kids weren't crazy about it!! So, I thought maybe a simple whipped cream frosting. Well, they don't sell heavy cream here, just all purpose Nestle cream in a box...sold on the dry shelves! So I try my hand at whipping it up... by hand, singing church songs as I whipped, for ever. At last it was close to the right consistency, and suddenly it curdled!! It was ruined! I admit to having a bit of a Fred Flintstone moment... rrrochin, fynchen crivinn...(see...not so much the sweet one now!) And a quick search on the internet led me to the reason why...it started to become butter, that and the heat of the Philippines. So I'll try again, this time whipping it over a bowl of ice. But, my golly! I'm not used to not having things I make work out! Sometimes the bitter pill of humility is hard to swallow...but what helps is to be able to laugh at yourself. So I do, and I try again, both the whipping and the humbling!!!
I think its all about balance... taking the good with the bad, knowing what you have the ability to change and what you have to accept as reality, being able to let the little things go and concentrate on the big ones and topping all that off with a big serving of gratitude to God for all of it. And praying... prayer always helps!! I'll admit that now and again it does feel good to have a Fred Flintstone moment, but prayer is the better choice! xxoo
Friday, November 11, 2016
A Day In The Life
The days here at the Oikos Mission go by so fast!! I wake up on Monday morning and before I know it, the week is over and it's Monday again! No day is really the same here. We have office days, mission days, rest days and community days like the ordinations we went to last week. I usually don't know when I wake up in the morning what kind of day it will be! Things change quickly here and many times plans made the night before are different in the morning!
Here is an example of one of my office days:
5am-wake up and get ready for mass
6am-mass...the cathedral is about a 2 minute walk from our home, and in the early morning, the weather is perfect!
7am-morning prayer with the Sisters
7:30-breakfast
8:30-10:00-usually I have my own time here. I clean my room, make plans for the weekend catechesis, study my language vocab, work on anything Sister Minerva gives me, call home, send emails, etc.
10:00-On most days, I have some task I work on. More on that below.
12:30- Lunch
1:30-3:00-continue with the work above.
3:00-Divine Mercy Chaplet
3:15-7:00-sometimes I continue with the day's work, sometimes I help to make dinner, sometimes I take a nap!!!
6pm- Rosary followed by evening prayer with the Sisters
7or8pm- Dinner
the remainder of the night is usually mine to do with what I want.
I always take a shower at night. Makes falling asleep easier and the cold shower, yes, always a cold shower (!), really cools me off!
This is probably my schedule for 3 out of 5 days. On Thursdays, the Sisters have a bonding day where they do Eucharistic Adoration, have lunch together and a meeting and usually at least one day a week we are off somewhere doing something in a barrio...most likely this happens more than once a week, though.
Sister Minerva has given me tasks to do.
1. She has a dream of a student center where scholars can go to after school to study, use computers, get tutorial help, have someone available to talk if there are any problems, emotional or what ever. So, I am going to be spearheading this for her. Right now, I have a table in Nazareth Home...not so much of a student center!! But I have begun a writing workshop teaching the students who like to write how to write articles for a newsletter for the benefactors here in Borongan and will be working with the kids who have a sponsor for their education in the Poor Household of God in making Christmas cards for their sponsor.
2. There are a few livelihood programs the Oikos facilitates for the poor in the barrios, the piglet recycling and fattening program and FAITH (Food Always In The Home). The Sisters are always looking for more ways to help the poor people here help themselves. Another program the Sisters want to start is a cooking program where the mothers can learn new ways of cooking the ingredients that they have and sell them in the market. I have had a few ideas... I don't think anyone in the barrios has an oven. Food is usually always grilled over a fire or fried in oil. I did some research and found directions for making reflector ovens. A reflector oven sits beside a fire and is made of metal. The heat from the fire reflects off the top and bottom of the oven and bakes the food on a shelf in the oven. It is supposed to work just like a real oven...we will see!!
3. I will continue my weekend catechesis with the grade and high school students. I brought a good book with me, Did Adam and Eve Have Bellybuttons, written by Matthew Pinto. It was given to me by my brother Fr. Mark when I was just getting into learning more about my faith. In the book, Matthew answers tons of questions asked by teenagers and cites the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the bible and Church teaching in his answers. It is a great book, and I showed it to Sister Minerva, who now wants me to do a "real life" segment in the formations the Sisters do for the sponsored high school and college kids.
I also have other tasks...I'm on the food team whenever we go to the barrios, cooking and serving food, I am going to be helping with the facilitation of the Educational Sponsorship Program that the Sisters are involved in, I conduct a bible sharing hour in the house where I live with the college students and a few more things!! I won't be bored here!!
By the way, I don't know if I ever mentioned this before, but if you were interested in becoming a sponsor for a student here in Borongan with the Oikos Sisters, please check out this website... http://www.PoorHouseholdofGod.org You can learn more about the other programs the Sisters are involved in too.
When I was in Africa at an orphanage in Ghana, I once wrote that I wouldn't have a weekend until I returned to the US...that was pretty accurate. Here in the Philippines, our weekends are usually a little slower than the weekdays and I get to spend some down time with the kids, and with the Sisters. I usually spend a little time reading, a little time napping, a little time cooking and a whole bunch of time having fun. There is a nice balance here...it's not a guaranteed balance as sometimes we are on go-go-go speed, but for the most part, for me anyways, I have a decent amount of down time. I am quite appreciative of that!!!
And usually a week doesn't go by where we aren't invited to someone's home for a dinner or a lunch... a birthday party, anniversary, or any number of occasions. So, I can pretty much guarantee that you will never open to a page in my blog and read me saying that it's just the "same-old, same-old" here! I'm glad of that...keeps me busy and on my toes!
xoxo
Here is an example of one of my office days:
5am-wake up and get ready for mass
6am-mass...the cathedral is about a 2 minute walk from our home, and in the early morning, the weather is perfect!
7am-morning prayer with the Sisters
7:30-breakfast
8:30-10:00-usually I have my own time here. I clean my room, make plans for the weekend catechesis, study my language vocab, work on anything Sister Minerva gives me, call home, send emails, etc.
10:00-On most days, I have some task I work on. More on that below.
12:30- Lunch
1:30-3:00-continue with the work above.
3:00-Divine Mercy Chaplet
3:15-7:00-sometimes I continue with the day's work, sometimes I help to make dinner, sometimes I take a nap!!!
6pm- Rosary followed by evening prayer with the Sisters
7or8pm- Dinner
the remainder of the night is usually mine to do with what I want.
I always take a shower at night. Makes falling asleep easier and the cold shower, yes, always a cold shower (!), really cools me off!
This is probably my schedule for 3 out of 5 days. On Thursdays, the Sisters have a bonding day where they do Eucharistic Adoration, have lunch together and a meeting and usually at least one day a week we are off somewhere doing something in a barrio...most likely this happens more than once a week, though.
Sister Minerva has given me tasks to do.
1. She has a dream of a student center where scholars can go to after school to study, use computers, get tutorial help, have someone available to talk if there are any problems, emotional or what ever. So, I am going to be spearheading this for her. Right now, I have a table in Nazareth Home...not so much of a student center!! But I have begun a writing workshop teaching the students who like to write how to write articles for a newsletter for the benefactors here in Borongan and will be working with the kids who have a sponsor for their education in the Poor Household of God in making Christmas cards for their sponsor.
2. There are a few livelihood programs the Oikos facilitates for the poor in the barrios, the piglet recycling and fattening program and FAITH (Food Always In The Home). The Sisters are always looking for more ways to help the poor people here help themselves. Another program the Sisters want to start is a cooking program where the mothers can learn new ways of cooking the ingredients that they have and sell them in the market. I have had a few ideas... I don't think anyone in the barrios has an oven. Food is usually always grilled over a fire or fried in oil. I did some research and found directions for making reflector ovens. A reflector oven sits beside a fire and is made of metal. The heat from the fire reflects off the top and bottom of the oven and bakes the food on a shelf in the oven. It is supposed to work just like a real oven...we will see!!
3. I will continue my weekend catechesis with the grade and high school students. I brought a good book with me, Did Adam and Eve Have Bellybuttons, written by Matthew Pinto. It was given to me by my brother Fr. Mark when I was just getting into learning more about my faith. In the book, Matthew answers tons of questions asked by teenagers and cites the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the bible and Church teaching in his answers. It is a great book, and I showed it to Sister Minerva, who now wants me to do a "real life" segment in the formations the Sisters do for the sponsored high school and college kids.
I also have other tasks...I'm on the food team whenever we go to the barrios, cooking and serving food, I am going to be helping with the facilitation of the Educational Sponsorship Program that the Sisters are involved in, I conduct a bible sharing hour in the house where I live with the college students and a few more things!! I won't be bored here!!
By the way, I don't know if I ever mentioned this before, but if you were interested in becoming a sponsor for a student here in Borongan with the Oikos Sisters, please check out this website... http://www.PoorHouseholdofGod.org You can learn more about the other programs the Sisters are involved in too.
When I was in Africa at an orphanage in Ghana, I once wrote that I wouldn't have a weekend until I returned to the US...that was pretty accurate. Here in the Philippines, our weekends are usually a little slower than the weekdays and I get to spend some down time with the kids, and with the Sisters. I usually spend a little time reading, a little time napping, a little time cooking and a whole bunch of time having fun. There is a nice balance here...it's not a guaranteed balance as sometimes we are on go-go-go speed, but for the most part, for me anyways, I have a decent amount of down time. I am quite appreciative of that!!!
And usually a week doesn't go by where we aren't invited to someone's home for a dinner or a lunch... a birthday party, anniversary, or any number of occasions. So, I can pretty much guarantee that you will never open to a page in my blog and read me saying that it's just the "same-old, same-old" here! I'm glad of that...keeps me busy and on my toes!
xoxo
Monday, November 7, 2016
An Uplifting Continuation...
So, I have no idea why I am so loved by God. Seriously...He speaks to me through so many ways and I just have to ask myself why does He work so hard to get through my hard head? Anyways, I am extremely grateful for the loving attention our God pays to me, and am humbled by His awareness of my needs.
Yesterday's post was kind of a downer... not kind of, it totally was. But, you know, as I said, missionary work is full of ups and downs. I have a book that I take to mass each day that has the readings of the day in English, because the mass here is said in Waray Waray. The book is called The Anawim Way, anawim is a word meaning poverty. It is printed here in the Philippines, and many times I have been taken aback by the inspirations in the meditations after the readings. Today's was especially powerful.
Yesterday I was feeling overwhelmed by the unfairness of life and devastating hardships the poor people of the third world have to suffer. I was feeling useless to help in any of the problems facing the people here.
This was the meditation for today:
"There are times when the burden of need and our own limitations might tempt us to become discouraged. But precisely then we are helped by the knowledge that, in the end, we are only instruments in the Lord's hands; and this knowledge frees us from the presumption of thinking that we alone are personally responsible for building a better world. In all humanity we will do what we can, and in all humanity we will entrust the rest to the Lord. It is God who governs the world, not we. We offer Him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as He grants us the strength. To do all we can with what strength we have, however, is the task which keeps us the good servant of Jesus Christ always at work: "The love of Christ urges us on" (2 Cor 5:14)"
The above was shared by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 in the document Deus Caritas Est, 35)
You see, yesterday we went to an ordination and therefore the readings of the day weren't read, as for ordinations special readings are used, and tomorrow we are going to a funeral for the mother who died and her baby, so only today was I at mass reading from Anawim, and God, who ordains all things, saw fit to give me a boost when I needed it.
Not coincidence, but faith. When you can look at the world through eyes of faith, there is no end to the wonders you will see. My God loves me, and gives me daily proof of His concern for me. I have no idea why, but I'm going to stop asking and just accept His merciful and caring love of me.
Praise be to you, Lord Jesus Christ! Damo mga Salamat, ha Iyo Amon Namon!! Many thanks to you, Our Father!! xxoo
Yesterday's post was kind of a downer... not kind of, it totally was. But, you know, as I said, missionary work is full of ups and downs. I have a book that I take to mass each day that has the readings of the day in English, because the mass here is said in Waray Waray. The book is called The Anawim Way, anawim is a word meaning poverty. It is printed here in the Philippines, and many times I have been taken aback by the inspirations in the meditations after the readings. Today's was especially powerful.
Yesterday I was feeling overwhelmed by the unfairness of life and devastating hardships the poor people of the third world have to suffer. I was feeling useless to help in any of the problems facing the people here.
This was the meditation for today:
"There are times when the burden of need and our own limitations might tempt us to become discouraged. But precisely then we are helped by the knowledge that, in the end, we are only instruments in the Lord's hands; and this knowledge frees us from the presumption of thinking that we alone are personally responsible for building a better world. In all humanity we will do what we can, and in all humanity we will entrust the rest to the Lord. It is God who governs the world, not we. We offer Him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as He grants us the strength. To do all we can with what strength we have, however, is the task which keeps us the good servant of Jesus Christ always at work: "The love of Christ urges us on" (2 Cor 5:14)"
The above was shared by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 in the document Deus Caritas Est, 35)
You see, yesterday we went to an ordination and therefore the readings of the day weren't read, as for ordinations special readings are used, and tomorrow we are going to a funeral for the mother who died and her baby, so only today was I at mass reading from Anawim, and God, who ordains all things, saw fit to give me a boost when I needed it.
Not coincidence, but faith. When you can look at the world through eyes of faith, there is no end to the wonders you will see. My God loves me, and gives me daily proof of His concern for me. I have no idea why, but I'm going to stop asking and just accept His merciful and caring love of me.
Praise be to you, Lord Jesus Christ! Damo mga Salamat, ha Iyo Amon Namon!! Many thanks to you, Our Father!! xxoo
The Hands That Hold The Stars
One day Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was feeling depressed and hopeless about his work and the mountain of racism he was facing. He may have even felt like giving up. He felt a certain push to go outside in the night time on his porch. There, he felt a voice in his heart asking him to look up at the stars. He was asked if any of the stars are falling down. No, he said. That is because I am holding the stars in my hands so they won't fall, said the voice. The same hands that hold the stars are holding you, Martin, and how much more tender and loving are you held in my hands than the night stars? Infinitely more. Feeling uplifted, Dr. King was able to continue on his peaceful fight.
The above story was told to me by Sister Minerva, superior of the Oikos Sisters here in Borongan. She was telling the story in response to someone's comment about the mission...right now I cannot remember what the comment was. But what I do know is that all day I had been struggling with the imbalance of everything in this messed up world and was, in my heart, questioning God's thinking. Then, Sister tells this story. It may as well been God sitting next to me, looking in my heart and telling it just to me.
It always is so difficult for me to be here, experiencing true and deep poverty while having a first world background, knowing where I came from and where I will eventually return to. Little and big things have been happening all week and it all just seemed to make sadness overflow in me. Things like...
...I read an article about the money Clinton and Trump raised over the course of their campaigns...millions of dollars spent on planes, hotels, commercials and posters. But here I see people living in stick houses, with nothing to eat, with no running water, with no electricity and I think...that's crazy and unfair. How can they so easily raise a ton of money to pay for such an inane purpose...they are both at least millionaires...and people here be dying, largely unnoticed by a world that could help them. (Don't even get me started on the salaries of professional sports players.)
...One of the scholars that was sponsored by the Oikos Sisters and the Poor Household of God is a nurse in the hospital here in Borongan. She has been telling me of some of the patients she has been caring for. This week, three mothers died having their babies. In one case, the mother had twins before she died, but one of the twins died as well. She was the mother of 6, living in a barrio where the Oikos Sisters live, in a small home. There was something else wrong with her as she was jaundice just before dying, but in America, the problem probably would have been discovered and she would have been helped. Here in the poor barrios of Borongan, people can't get to see doctors, and when they can, the national health care they have often runs out, so mid-treatment the doctors can no longer help them. It's crazy.
...I know that this is a different culture and that things are done differently here, but it pains me to see children, no older than 5 or 6 walking alone to school...pretty far away, children sitting on the top of cabs because there isn't enough room inside for them, children being left out of families when the parents separate and want to only have their new family...where are the parents, to see their children safely to school; where are the police officers who make sure motorists are following the rules and NO ONE is sitting on top of a moving vehicle; where are the social workers to see that parents are being responsible for their children? At times I feel there are too many laws in the US, that there are too many restrictions or rules to follow...but here, there are definitely too little and, it seems, it is the children who suffer.
....I had just written a post about a little vacation we took that was very restful and so totally appreciated!! But upon coming home, I received pictures of a vacation my parents were taking in Florida...of the plushness of their rooms, of the sumptuousness of the food they had. Although I am happy that my parents are having such a lovely and well-deserved vacation, it occurred to me that probably most, if not all, of the poor children we care for will ever experience that, and it hurt me, not to mention made me feel guilty for the wonderful vacations I myself have had.
...There was a rally here in town because after Typhoon Ruby, 2 years ago, people who lost their whole home were promised 30,000 pesos and people who had partial damage were promised 15,000 pesos. The national government sent the money, all of it, to the regional governments. Here in Borongan, the money was kept from the people for a long time, and then, when it was finally distributed, the beneficiaries received only a little more than half of what was promised. These people have nothing, have lost everything and they do not have a government who cares about them.
I want the people here to have a vacation with a comfy queen sized bed and a pool and an amazing meal, I want the authorities and the government here to act responsibly for the people they are supposed to be serving, I want parents to open their eyes to what they are doing for their children, I want these poor people to have a home, security, privacy, comfort, enough to eat and a secure livelihood.
Here's the reality... I can do nothing.
It's pretty depressing. I have noticed that in missionary work, there are extreme highs and extreme lows. I remember just a few weeks ago being stoked about helping to feed over 1,000 people in 2 days, and tonight I am having trouble figuring out what's it all for.
And then, Sister Minerva tells a story about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., probably at a point where he experienced similar feelings as I am right now...facing a tsunami of sad feelings that seem to overwhelm me. But as I look at the stars tonight, I remember the story...the same hands that hold the stars in place are holding me, they are holding the poor people in Borongan, they are holding all the poor people in the world, they are holding you, even as you read this, and we are all being infinitely loved, regardless of where we lay our heads or what we have. And it comforts me.
I pray for a peaceful election day in the United States. Please join me. xxoo
The above story was told to me by Sister Minerva, superior of the Oikos Sisters here in Borongan. She was telling the story in response to someone's comment about the mission...right now I cannot remember what the comment was. But what I do know is that all day I had been struggling with the imbalance of everything in this messed up world and was, in my heart, questioning God's thinking. Then, Sister tells this story. It may as well been God sitting next to me, looking in my heart and telling it just to me.
It always is so difficult for me to be here, experiencing true and deep poverty while having a first world background, knowing where I came from and where I will eventually return to. Little and big things have been happening all week and it all just seemed to make sadness overflow in me. Things like...
...I read an article about the money Clinton and Trump raised over the course of their campaigns...millions of dollars spent on planes, hotels, commercials and posters. But here I see people living in stick houses, with nothing to eat, with no running water, with no electricity and I think...that's crazy and unfair. How can they so easily raise a ton of money to pay for such an inane purpose...they are both at least millionaires...and people here be dying, largely unnoticed by a world that could help them. (Don't even get me started on the salaries of professional sports players.)
...One of the scholars that was sponsored by the Oikos Sisters and the Poor Household of God is a nurse in the hospital here in Borongan. She has been telling me of some of the patients she has been caring for. This week, three mothers died having their babies. In one case, the mother had twins before she died, but one of the twins died as well. She was the mother of 6, living in a barrio where the Oikos Sisters live, in a small home. There was something else wrong with her as she was jaundice just before dying, but in America, the problem probably would have been discovered and she would have been helped. Here in the poor barrios of Borongan, people can't get to see doctors, and when they can, the national health care they have often runs out, so mid-treatment the doctors can no longer help them. It's crazy.
...I know that this is a different culture and that things are done differently here, but it pains me to see children, no older than 5 or 6 walking alone to school...pretty far away, children sitting on the top of cabs because there isn't enough room inside for them, children being left out of families when the parents separate and want to only have their new family...where are the parents, to see their children safely to school; where are the police officers who make sure motorists are following the rules and NO ONE is sitting on top of a moving vehicle; where are the social workers to see that parents are being responsible for their children? At times I feel there are too many laws in the US, that there are too many restrictions or rules to follow...but here, there are definitely too little and, it seems, it is the children who suffer.
....I had just written a post about a little vacation we took that was very restful and so totally appreciated!! But upon coming home, I received pictures of a vacation my parents were taking in Florida...of the plushness of their rooms, of the sumptuousness of the food they had. Although I am happy that my parents are having such a lovely and well-deserved vacation, it occurred to me that probably most, if not all, of the poor children we care for will ever experience that, and it hurt me, not to mention made me feel guilty for the wonderful vacations I myself have had.
...There was a rally here in town because after Typhoon Ruby, 2 years ago, people who lost their whole home were promised 30,000 pesos and people who had partial damage were promised 15,000 pesos. The national government sent the money, all of it, to the regional governments. Here in Borongan, the money was kept from the people for a long time, and then, when it was finally distributed, the beneficiaries received only a little more than half of what was promised. These people have nothing, have lost everything and they do not have a government who cares about them.
I want the people here to have a vacation with a comfy queen sized bed and a pool and an amazing meal, I want the authorities and the government here to act responsibly for the people they are supposed to be serving, I want parents to open their eyes to what they are doing for their children, I want these poor people to have a home, security, privacy, comfort, enough to eat and a secure livelihood.
Here's the reality... I can do nothing.
It's pretty depressing. I have noticed that in missionary work, there are extreme highs and extreme lows. I remember just a few weeks ago being stoked about helping to feed over 1,000 people in 2 days, and tonight I am having trouble figuring out what's it all for.
And then, Sister Minerva tells a story about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., probably at a point where he experienced similar feelings as I am right now...facing a tsunami of sad feelings that seem to overwhelm me. But as I look at the stars tonight, I remember the story...the same hands that hold the stars in place are holding me, they are holding the poor people in Borongan, they are holding all the poor people in the world, they are holding you, even as you read this, and we are all being infinitely loved, regardless of where we lay our heads or what we have. And it comforts me.
I pray for a peaceful election day in the United States. Please join me. xxoo
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
All Work and No Play....
Even in the missions, rest time is recognized as a requirement for productive and successful output of services. There are many instances in the bible where Jesus went off to rest in between His work and travel throughout the Holy Land. Not only does it give you a breather, but it also reenergizes you for the work to come. This weekend the Oikos Community took such a breather, and it was fun!!
The Sisters call it bonding time... a time to rest, play and laugh with each other, to pray together and to strengthen relationships. On October 30th, the whole Oikos Family went to a beach in Lalawigan, where one of the benefactors of the Oikos Mission has a cottage. So many people came, bringing games and food...oh my, we had so much food!! We swam in the ocean, walked on the beach and ate crabs, labulabu (a delicious fish), rice, of course, chicken, a roasted pig and so much more!! The kids were so fun in the water... I spent most of my time there!! :) Some of the college students organized beach games, we sang songs and ate cake as well! What a fun day!!
On the following day, the Oikos Sisters together with some of the young children, Dr. Vic and Mary Jane Trinkus and I went to a beach in the far north town of Oras and stayed overnight at a resort. It was a simple place where we rented two rooms that each had a small kitchen, a pretty large bedroom and a sitting room. Right on the beach, the sound of the waves lapping at the beach was heavenly. Even though it rained a little, we played in the ocean with the Sisters and the kids like we were kids ourselves!! The ocean here around Borongan does not have big waves like beaches I've been to on the Atlantic Coast of America. Here the waves are little and slow...it makes floating on the water almost therapeutic!! And no surfers to interrupt the fun...sorry you surfers out there!! Not too far from where we were playing, fishermen were working to provide for their families, although the laughter ringing out from us might have been an annoyance to them!!
In the evening we had bonding time with the Sisters. Telling stories and laughing, talking about things that are going on and things we wish to happen...it was a special time. The Diocese of Borongan has allocated several mission homes to the Oikos Sisters for their work, and each of the Sisters is sort of in charge of one of the homes and the sponsored scholars that live there through the school year, so there isn't a whole lot of time when the Sisters get to hang out all together, which makes times like this extra special.
I awoke early and was in the ocean by 5:30 the next morning...and remained there almost until it was time to go, quite a few hours!! The sunrise over the coconut trees that line the beach was so beautiful, and one by one, the kids and Sisters would wake up and come into the ocean with me. It was such a sweet time!!
The following two days, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are holidays where most Filipinos travel to where their families are buried, and spend the day praying there, lighting candles, eating and reminiscing. Sort of like holy tailgating!! So, today we attended mass at the cemetery where Sister Clarissa's mother is buried and tomorrow will be more of the same. Then on Thursday, Sister Clarissa's cousin James will be ordained a priest. Please pray for him as he receives the sacrament of Holy Orders. On Friday, Dr. Vic and Mary Jane will return to Chicago, but will be coming back to Borongan in February for the big medical mission from the Joliet Diocese in Chicago. I have had such a wonderful time with them, and I know all the kids and Sisters here join me in my sentiments!!
Then, beginning on November 7th, the rest time will be over. But that is ok, I am anxious to be busy and working again! We will be preparing to return to the barrio of Conception at the end of the month to complete our medical mission there and I will begin working on my own projects that Sister Minerva has given me. More about that later...
How nice it is take a time out of the busyness of the daily grind, to rejuvenate our mind and bodies, take deep breaths and be still. In the silence of rest time, I can truly connect with God and get back on track with Him. It is not only nice, it is necessary if you want to be successful. How grateful I am that the Oikos Sisters recognize that and realize the importance of bonding time. Now...back to work!!
xxoo
The Sisters call it bonding time... a time to rest, play and laugh with each other, to pray together and to strengthen relationships. On October 30th, the whole Oikos Family went to a beach in Lalawigan, where one of the benefactors of the Oikos Mission has a cottage. So many people came, bringing games and food...oh my, we had so much food!! We swam in the ocean, walked on the beach and ate crabs, labulabu (a delicious fish), rice, of course, chicken, a roasted pig and so much more!! The kids were so fun in the water... I spent most of my time there!! :) Some of the college students organized beach games, we sang songs and ate cake as well! What a fun day!!
On the following day, the Oikos Sisters together with some of the young children, Dr. Vic and Mary Jane Trinkus and I went to a beach in the far north town of Oras and stayed overnight at a resort. It was a simple place where we rented two rooms that each had a small kitchen, a pretty large bedroom and a sitting room. Right on the beach, the sound of the waves lapping at the beach was heavenly. Even though it rained a little, we played in the ocean with the Sisters and the kids like we were kids ourselves!! The ocean here around Borongan does not have big waves like beaches I've been to on the Atlantic Coast of America. Here the waves are little and slow...it makes floating on the water almost therapeutic!! And no surfers to interrupt the fun...sorry you surfers out there!! Not too far from where we were playing, fishermen were working to provide for their families, although the laughter ringing out from us might have been an annoyance to them!!
In the evening we had bonding time with the Sisters. Telling stories and laughing, talking about things that are going on and things we wish to happen...it was a special time. The Diocese of Borongan has allocated several mission homes to the Oikos Sisters for their work, and each of the Sisters is sort of in charge of one of the homes and the sponsored scholars that live there through the school year, so there isn't a whole lot of time when the Sisters get to hang out all together, which makes times like this extra special.
I awoke early and was in the ocean by 5:30 the next morning...and remained there almost until it was time to go, quite a few hours!! The sunrise over the coconut trees that line the beach was so beautiful, and one by one, the kids and Sisters would wake up and come into the ocean with me. It was such a sweet time!!
The following two days, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are holidays where most Filipinos travel to where their families are buried, and spend the day praying there, lighting candles, eating and reminiscing. Sort of like holy tailgating!! So, today we attended mass at the cemetery where Sister Clarissa's mother is buried and tomorrow will be more of the same. Then on Thursday, Sister Clarissa's cousin James will be ordained a priest. Please pray for him as he receives the sacrament of Holy Orders. On Friday, Dr. Vic and Mary Jane will return to Chicago, but will be coming back to Borongan in February for the big medical mission from the Joliet Diocese in Chicago. I have had such a wonderful time with them, and I know all the kids and Sisters here join me in my sentiments!!
Then, beginning on November 7th, the rest time will be over. But that is ok, I am anxious to be busy and working again! We will be preparing to return to the barrio of Conception at the end of the month to complete our medical mission there and I will begin working on my own projects that Sister Minerva has given me. More about that later...
How nice it is take a time out of the busyness of the daily grind, to rejuvenate our mind and bodies, take deep breaths and be still. In the silence of rest time, I can truly connect with God and get back on track with Him. It is not only nice, it is necessary if you want to be successful. How grateful I am that the Oikos Sisters recognize that and realize the importance of bonding time. Now...back to work!!
xxoo
Sunday, October 30, 2016
All About Immersion
Wow! It is almost the only thing I can say about this immersion...Wow!
But... for the sake of the blog, I'll try to add more.
It was a power-packed few days in the northern barrios of Eastern Samar. The barrios we visited were Conception and Cagsalay, and the barrios that came to us there were MacArthur and Kaaswan.
Let me just start off by saying that there is no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit is alive and well, working through the Oikos Sisters. I say that because it seems humanly impossible to do all that they did through human means alone. From the feeding to the giving to the praying to the playing to the dancing to the medicating to the mentoring to the teaching, and much, much more, I think my head was spinning quite a few times!!
Conception is a barrio that is pretty far from Borongan. The pastor of the barrios we went to, Fr. Arce, contacted the Oikos Sisters and told them his people were in need of their help. We drove to the northern-most barrio in Eastern Samar, about a 3 hour drive from Borongan, then had about a one mile muddy, hilly walk to the river through tall grasses and coconut trees, then we took a boat ride for about 20 minutes to Conception. (no, that is not the Filipino equivalent to the "I walked through 5 miles of snow, barefoot to school" that my grandfather used to tell!! Mine is true!! :) )
Thankfully, we had Fr. Arce's motor boats which made the trip shorter, and the breeze on the water was heavenly!! With mountains of rice, clothes, shoes, food, medicines and dental equipment, many trips were made to bring everything we needed to Conception and Cagsalay...but with the help of our super strong man squad, and Sister Clarissa, everything made it to the place it needed to be. And thanks to the Good Lord, too!!
At least once each day, we had to get on the boats to travel to another barrio... now, being the not-so-much natural hiker that I am, getting on a small, narrow, tipsy boat, without a dock, fearing to fall into the water and getting schistosomiasis, a waterborne disease where parasites from the feces of snails can seep into your skin and lay eggs in your bladder, intestines, even your brain...yeah, it's not a stretch to say I wasn't the coolest cat on the boat!!! But by the last day...I had it down pat! ...sometimes I find myself asking myself... what are you doing here??? And then I picture God up in heaven having quite a good chuckle over me!!
Anyways, our first stop on our trip was to Conception. There we were greeted by an amazing group of dancers, Fr. Arce and a delicious lunch provided by the sweet mothers of Conception.
The next day began with mass celebrated by Father Arce, then a nice breakfast and off to work!! I was on kitchen duty, making lunch for the families we were serving that day, about 500 people. We made spaghetti, rice, menudo, which is a stew made with pig's liver, and adobo. While I was busy in the kitchen...actually, we didn't have a kitchen...it was a burned out building that was being used for a garden. In one corner, there was a fire pit that we used:
Anyways, while I was chopping and cooking, there was a lot going on in the village plaza. Sister Michelle was busy doing her mobile dental clinic. She saw 25 patients that day!!
Mary Jane helped Sister Ethel and the volunteers hand out new shoes to the kids.
And the mothers received Water with Blessings, providing for them, for the first time, a way to give their families clean water to drink. That is Sister Clarissa and Dr. Vic Trinkus in the picture with the mothers.
Also, we handed out the food packs, clothes for the moms, dads and kids and fed everyone who came with a wholesome lunch.
After we workers had our lunch and a little rest, we got back on the boat to Conception to prepare for the medical mission the next day. We were blessed to be able to stay in a very nice home that is reserved for priests and religious who visit Conception. I had a headache, probably due to the heat of the day, but I slept well again, praise God!!
The next day began again with mass celebrated by Father Arce. Then, it was off to the kitchen to begin my work. There was a girl working with me in the kitchen who was in school to be a chef. She became my shadow and I taught her about using knives, cooking ribs and much more. I had fun! We were quite busy in the kitchen again, this time we had a real kitchen to work in...a real Filipino kitchen, which was simple but awesome!! We made pancet, rice, fried chicken for lunch and served it with a big roll. We fed over 500 people once again!!
While I was busy in the kitchen, Sister Michelle and another dentist, Ben, worked tirelessly to bring dental health to the people in these barrios. Between the two of them, they saw 75 patients!! A doctor from the hospital came to do the medical immersion. We had the word of several more doctors that they would come, but for one reason or another, she was the only one who could come. A team of doctors would find it hard to do better than she did, for she helped over 100 patients that day!! The missionaries from the US, Vic and Mary Jane Trinkus, had an ob/gynie clinic. Dr. Vic saw 48 patients!!! We had nurses doing registration and triage, a few pharmacists giving medication and volunteers who worked hard to keep the kids busy. What an incredible, amazing, crazy, unbelievable, nutso, awesome, blessed few days!!!!!!!
Aside from all of this, Sister Minerva did recollections and catechesis for the adults, and volunteers did the same for the kids, knowing that the spiritual needs of the people are just as important, if not more important, as the bodily needs. Sister Minerva did share with me that, although after the mass on the second day she announced that she would be doing catechesis and a bible sharing for the adults before the medical mission began, no adults showed up for it. It broke her heart. She said she sat in the chapel and apologized to God for the people's negligence...wondering why God was the least important on these people's priorities. Truly, it exemplified one of the major reasons the Oikos Sisters chose to come to these barrios and help them. Sister Aileen and Sister Clarissa both told me that these people feel they are entitled to help. We are poor. Give us help. No thank you's given. And you might be scratching your head thinking, well, why would you go there then? Aren't there barrios in Eastern Samar where people are grateful and appreciative, willing to use the help the Sisters give as a hand to help themselves out of the pain and indignity of poverty? It was a question I asked myself. The answer: We were sent to help them to see that they are not entitled to any help and how to use the help given to help themselves. So, aside from the immersion, the Sisters will start the Faith program here and teach the people the importance of work and of providing for their families.
If I already wasn't totally on board with the work the Oikos Sisters do, this would have cemented it for me. Oh my goodness!! Not only medicating and feeding people, not only teaching them about God and helping to educate them, they are teaching them how to be good human beings, responsible and doing their part. There is no doubt that the amount help the Oikos Sisters can give is dependent on the work their beneficiaries are willing to put into it themselves. I've seen people soar, truly. But now, I'm seeing them teaching people how accept the help they give, sort of like how a mother teaches her child how to move and talk and make his way in the world. There is no person, or group of people, who are outside of the Sister's radar. If they choose not to work with the Sisters, that is their choice, but the Oikos Sisters give everyone a chance. Simply amazing, and so much like Jesus.
It was hard, and it was hot!! There were so many people, so many, in fact, that we are returning there on November 25th and 26th with the medical and dental teams to see the remaining people there. But it was awesome, and I am looking forward to going back, seeing the people, helping them more...even to getting on the boats!!
Please keep the people of Conception, Cagsalay, Mac Arthur and Kaawasan in your prayers. Thank you!! You are in mine!! xxoo Sarah
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