There's One More Angel In Heaven

A while back, I wrote a post about a little girl named Lizell Jane.  You can read the post here.  The Oikos Sisters along with Mary Jane Trinkus and me were on our way to a short two-day retreat in one of the northern towns here in Eastern Samar.  We were in 2 cars because   there were so many of us and were all excited for the time away.  The car I wasn't in was in an accident on the way to the retreat.  Our driver Joey was passing a tricycle, which is like a taxi cab, when a little girl ran out in front of his car suddenly and he couldn't avoid hitting her.  She had some cuts on her face and bruises along her side, but she was ok.  After taking her to the hospital and making sure she was ok, the Oikos Sisters assured the little girl's great grandmother that they would not abandon her and her family.

The story behind the girl, Lizell Jane, is that she was 6 years old at the time and she was abandoned by her mother.  Her father went to Manila to find work.  He did find work and would send money home to the great grandmother whenever he could, but it wasn't often.  He left the great grandmother with his 3 children, Lizell and her two younger sisters, one of which has cerebral palsy.  They lived literally in a shack with no electricity or furniture and shared a bathroom with 8 other families.  The grandmother, the very day of the accident, woke up begging God for help.  She couldn't do this by herself anymore and was in desperate need of help.  Well, God did send help...probably not the way she was hoping it would come.  Having your great-grandchild in an accident doesn't seem very helpful!  But God's ways are mysterious and the encounter brought the Oikos Sisters into their lives.  From that day on, the Oikos Sisters helped the family...even to this very day.

Well, yesterday Lola, our term for grandmother, came to Oikos.  She often comes when she is in need of something and it is always nice to see her.  She always gives me a kiss when she sees me!!  But yesterday was different.  This is what Lola told me...

Lizell Jane and her sisters were sent to Manila to be with their father.  The Oikos Sisters continued to help them from afar as well as they were able to.  The girls were going to school and living with their father.  But a few months ago, the father was on a construction job and fell off of high scaffolding.  He died instantly.  The girls were sent to live with some sisters who live in Manila and have a home for children.  Well, last Wednesday, Lizell Jane was leaving school.  As she was crossing the street, she was hit by a truck and died instantly. 

It was a hit and run, no one knows anything about the person who hit her.  Lola came to Oikos to tell us and to ask for fare money to Manila so she could attend the funeral.  Oh my, she was so sad.  As no sisters were in the office yesterday, I tried my best to offer comfort and love to Lola in my broken waray waray... there's not much you can say anyways in that situation, just hold her hand and offer a shoulder to cry on.

...but I wanted to cry too... sometimes God's ways are too mysterious.  Why was she spared a few years ago only to be killed now?  How much pain can Lola take on, abandonment, death, extreme poverty...all of the things people say at a time like this are running through my head... at least her suffering is over, she is gloriously happy now in heaven, Lola has a special angel in heaven now... it's like putting a band aid on a gaping wound, it doesn't really help. 

I have faith, I have hope in the resurrection, I trust in God's promise of eternal life, but all that doesn't make this any less sad.  It didn't make sitting with Lola yesterday any easier. 

Eternal rest grant unto her, Oh Lord, and my Your perpetual Light shine upon her.  May she rest in peace.

Please pray for Lola, who is in Manila today to grieve with her family...thank you!!

ADLAW HAN MGA KABLAS (Day For The Poor)

 

This past May, I was blessed and honored to be able to travel to South Korea with the Oikos Sisters to have an immersion/retreat with a Catholic congregation called Kkottongnae through the generosity and support of the Diocese of Borongan.  There we attended the “Love in Action” school that taught the importance of loving and caring for everyone, especially those who could never repay the generosity shown them, namely the poor, disabled and elderly.  We participated in a festival in honor of the poor and homeless of Seoul called the Pumba Festival.  The Holy Spirit struck straight to the hearts of the Oikos Sisters and, almost immediately upon returning home, they began planning their own festival for the poorest of the poor here in Borongan, a barrio fiesta called Adlaw Han Mga Kablas.

The Oikos Sisters were founded out of a need they saw to help the poor.  In 2018 they will celebrate their 20^th anniversary!  Since their inception, they have been caring for the poor in countless ways.  What we participated in with Kkottongnae was a celebration of and for the poor people.  A festival where they can laugh and dance and sing and eat their fill…a day of joy for them.  That is the spark that ignited within the Oikos Sisters and fueled our Adlaw Han Mga Kablas fiesta.

A few weeks before the event took place, the Oikos Mission was in high gear preparing for our fiesta.  The Oikos Sisters called upon their co-workers to assemble gift packages for each adult, child and family who would come, to build “houses” where the food would be served and to help on the fiesta day.  They also requested help from the Borongan community for donations of food and drinks for the poor.   Invitations were made and given to poor families and Oikos scholars together with Caritas and Diocesan scholars helped to decorate our venue, the Don Bosco Youth Center.  They also helped to pack up the gifts and were an enormous help the day of the event.

On Saturday, September 30^th, our Adlaw Han Mga Kablas, the sun was shining outside and Christ the Son, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, was beaming through the faces of each Sister and volunteer .  It was an early day for all of us, and yet we were all blessed with energy and joyful spirits throughout the entire day.  We were expecting around 250 fiesta guests, but the count nearly tripled as more than 600 people came!!  We were astounded and worked quickly to make more gift and rice packs for our guests as they were singing, dancing and having such a fun time thanks to our talented MC’s and house band.  But God, our Abba Father, shed His light and His miraculous mercy on us as each child who came received a party bag and each adult received a grocery pack with rice. We had just enough! And the food?  It was like being on the mountainside near the Sea of Galilee 2,000 years ago…not only did we have enough food to feed everyone, but there was more leftover, even after all of the volunteers ate after the event!!  We were all praising God for His kindness to us!!

We were so blessed with the presence of Father Roneil Canillas, Father Roberto Picardal and Most Reverend Bishop Crispin Varquez who celebrated a beautiful mass for us.  We were aided by many of the mothers whose children are sponsored through the Oikos Sisters, the CRLJ Charismatic Community, Sister Bing of the Living the Gospel Sisters and many past and present sponsored scholars.  Truly, each person was a gift to us and not only helped to make the day run smoothly, but made it fun too!

One of the high points for me was when everyone gathered in a circle and sang “Hawak Kamay” together, which means holding hands.  Being a foreigner, I was unfamiliar with this song, however, with a friend’s help, I learned its sweet meaning…You are never alone, no matter what happens.  Not only can you look to God in Heaven, but you can always depend on me to be there for you, to hold your hand, to help you in this uncertain world.  You are never alone.  As the words were translated to me and I looked around at all of the people standing and holding hands, singing with everything they had in them, it really moved me.  To me, that is what Oikos is all about…being there for anyone who God sends their way, bringing God’s love to the poor and giving others the opportunity to do the same.

It seems that for the Oikos Sisters, and for me, it was the very fruitful trip to Kkottongnae in South Korea that led to what we hope will be the first annual Adlaw Han Mga Kablas!!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!

                                                              

 

 

  

 

An Amazing Day!

Do you know why I love being a missionary so much?  Believe me, it isn't because of all of the ants and bugs, the almost intolerable heat, the language barrier or being half-way around the world from my family. All of that can be difficult (and there's more too),but all of the difficulties and challenges pale in comparison to the benefits, namely the joy of truly living out the Gospel of Christ.

Now, you can pshawww all you want, roll your eyes and not believe that what I say is true.  But I tell you with absolute certainty:  in my experience, when I attempt to live my life according to the teachings of Jesus, I am a much happier and joyful person and its much harder for bad moods and grouchiness to take over.  

Example:  Yesterday (Sunday) I spoke with Sister Minerva, who asked me if today (Monday) I could make pizza...for 200 people...by 9am!  Sure I say, with a little bit of trepidation.  On Sundays many stores close early or are closed for the day here, so shopping can be a challenge.  The only grocery

store in town was open, but didn't have ground pork or flour (not a shock!)...but these are little nuisances which were pretty easily solved.  So, I woke up around 4:30am and began making the pizzas. I had some help from the mothers and together we finished making 10 sheet pizzas, with our fantastic oven, just before 9am!!  Hip Hip Horrary!!

But I haven't told you the best part yet... we took the pizzas to the provincial jail to feed the inmates and the guards.  We also took with us our water filtering system, Water With Blessings, and did a demo on how to use them.  There is one part in the movie "Walk The Line" where "Johnny Cash" holds up a glass of water that the inmates drink during a concert at Fulton Prison, it is yellow and a little foamy at the top.  The water at this prison wasn't quite as bad as that, but almost.  We took that water and poured it through the filter, and in just minutes, it was clean, pure water.  The guards drank it and were amazed.

We served the prisoners pizza through a small hole in the wall, and...oh my, it was quite an amazing experience.  They were so grateful to receive a little piece of something new and different.  We made ground pork and garlic pizza because they are rarely served meat.  I can't even express in words the feeling I had, standing facing a wall with a tiny hole in the center, handing pizza and kindness to these men who are locked up.  I remember feeling sad that the pieces weren't that big...in fact, I only gave the big pieces to the prisoners and saved the little ones for  the guards!!  Well, most of the guards had 2 pieces while the prisoners could only receive one, so it evens out!!

After I was finished handing out the pizza to the prisoners, guards and family members who were there to visit someone, I saw Sister Minerva at the wall collecting pieces of paper.  She was looking at the prisoners' prescriptions, seeing if it was medicine we had at the Charity Pharmacy.  If we had the medicine, she kept the script and would have the medicines sent over later.  That is something Oikos does routinely, but I had no idea of that.

That part of our day ended around 11am...It seems like it should have been 5pm, it was so jam-packed with feelings, emotions and work!! 

Visiting prisoners... it is something I have never done before.  I totally could have, Buffalo has prisons too, but I never did, never thought to.  These Sisters and their mission do, they've brought their dental clinic there, they try to see to the prisoners medications, they want to have a group go in to take care of the prisoners' hair and nails, because nobody does that for them.  It's amazing, isn't it?  and yet, to the Oikos Sisters, it is just a "normal day" of giving and loving.  See?  Living the Gospel, loving others...the frustrating shopping, the getting up early, the sweating over a big oven...every single minute of that was worth it to be able to show love and kindness to some people who probably haven't seen that in a while. 

I am filled with gratitude to be shown the way, once again, to love and give to others regardless of who they are.  NO ONE IS OUSIDE OF RECEIVING LOVE.  No one.  What an awesome day!!! xxoo

Messy kitchen, as usual, but see the pizzas in the oven?? :)

Thank you, Nanay's for the help!!

 

Sister Ethel and me

Every single prisoner said thank you or God bless you to me.

That's not lemonade or juice...its their drinking water!!

Sister Ethel gives a demonstration on how to use the filters.  They last for 5 years!

Collecting prescriptions.  love in action!!

 

Ok...Now My Head Is Spinning!!

No, seriously... it is literally spinning!!!  So, after the fiesta and all of the partying and all of the recuperating (I did get a little sick after the fiesta- stomach issues and a bad cold, but I am on the mend!) the Sisters had a one day retreat.  It's been a little slow-ish here.  Going to people's houses to eat and then going home to rest...I've kind of gotten used to the flow of party mode, and I guess I forgot about mission mode.  Well, today, it hit me in the face like a frying pan!!

When the Sisters got home from their retreat and began speaking of what is going to be going on in the coming weeks, I got the feeling that they were like bulls scratching the ground with their hooves before attacking...seriously!!  Today I woke up and it has been go! go! go!!!  So, here's what's going on:

...We have been waiting for permission to take down coconut trees in the Charity Village to build a road.  This week permission was given, so this morning we went there and walked the property, marking the trees that need to come down.  Next week, the deforestation (not really, but, you know) will begin as will construction of the road.

...at the same time...the Baking Mamas are baking almost every day and have a steady client.  They want to grow their business so we will be meeting to discuss how to do that and get more clients...maybe a Baking Mama's menu!!

....at the same time...there are nanays that are interested in the baking project but don't like to bake, so they want to form the Cookin' Mamas.  They need a start-up plan and materials to begin...there is even a small canteen available for them to start cooking and selling.  They want to start yesterday. I'm looking into Filipino health codes for catering and taxes and stuff like that.  We'll be meeting with them.

...at the same time, there are quite a few bakeries in Borongan City, but in the small villages or barrios, there are none.  The sisters want to take the baking project into the barrios and teach mothers how to bake there to sell to the barrio people who don't get fresh baked bread really ever because of the difficulty in getting to Borongan.  So, the plans for that are starting and I am working on simple baking recipes to teach them.

...at the same time... On September 28th is the fiesta in our home barrio where Provedince Home is  called Sohutan.  The saint we celebrate there is St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint.  The 28th is his feast day with a big mass, a bigger dinner and the biggest dance party!!  So, the children are practicing songs and we are preparing our house and the barrio for the fiesta.

...at the same time... The people in Sohutan want to build a new chapel.  Ours is too small for the number of people we have attending...a good problem to have!!!  But it will be expensive.  So we are planning a dance on the day of the fiesta to do some fundraising for the chapel...making a presentation for the new chapel and decorations.

...at the same time...on October 4th is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.  He is the patron saint of the Oikos Sisters, so we celebrate his day in a big way.  The Novena begins on the 25th and there is a mass each night at our home in Sohutan.  We are preparing music sheets for the mass and menus for the meals after each mass.

...at the same time...remember in May when we went to South Korea and had a retreat there?  Well, a part of that was a festival celebrating the poor and homeless people.  The Sisters totally loved that idea.  So we are having our own festival for the poor...on September 30th!!  We are preparing food packs and prizes, music and decorations, food and logistics planning...

(Is your head spinning yet?)

...at the same time...the Faith program (Food Always In The Home) is wrapping up in a barrio called Surok.  Early in October we will have an awards ceremony for the people who participated.  Then, shortly after that, the piglet program will be started there.  In fact, right now assessments are going on there while the Oikos Livelihood team assesses who will be a part of the piglet program there.  It is based on prior piglet raising experience and participation in the FAITH program.  For instance, if someone has no experience in raising piglets but had shown hard work and dedication during the FAITH program, they may be eligible to be in the piggie program.

....at the same time...the Oikos Education Dep't is in full swing and the formations and help for the kids is ongoing.  We are going to be working on Christmas letters for the Oikos sponsors soon as it always takes a while to get done.

...at the same time...next week is vocation week here in Eastern Samar and a pretty large group of sisters are going all over the region speaking about vocations in general and their particular order in particular.  That will be every day next week.  I hope to be able to go a day or two.

....but at the same time, I have to get to Tacloban, about 4 hours away, to extend my passport.  I'll probably be going next week on Tuesday and will stay overnight.

....at the same time, when I arrived, I stayed in the mission house in Sohutan, Providence Home, because there was a visitor using my room in our mission house in the city, Nazareth.  Well, the visitor is gone, so now I am packing my things up again to move to the other house.

...at the same time, people are coming to our door for rice, for money for fares, they are coming to the pharmacy and Sister Michelle's dental clinic is open for the poor, boxes from caring supporters full of great things for the mission are arriving and have to be gone through and organized, the students are in constant need of help and love, and so life goes on....

I mean, can you believe it???  Now, I'm not involved with everything listed above, but enough that, yes, my head is spinning!!  And, most likely, because I usually am the last person to find out anything, there are even more things going on.  Yikes!!!

Anyways, this is my life for now.  It's busy, and it can be crazy, and it can be overwhelming...but it is fun and these are such great people to go crazy with!!!  God is good, Sabu!!!!  Xxoo

The Path To The Baking Mamas

The path God takes us on is not always clear to us, it doesn’t always make sense.  Sometimes amid the trials and roadblocks of life, we can even ask, “What can God be thinking?”  But every once in a while we are given the grace to understand His thinking, to be enlightened to the wisdom of His Will for us.  I had such an experience, and it has led me to where I am now. 

When I was a young girl, I used to play "school" with my younger brothers and sisters, my friends, and when they grew tired of me, even my teddy bears and dolls!  As the teacher, I used to give them assignments to do and send them into the corner they were not acting like good students…I don’t know why they put up with me!!  Because of this, I naturally was drawn to the field of education.  I became an elementary teacher and taught in Catholic Schools in Buffalo, NY for 10 years.  Gradually, I lost my spirit for teaching.  I began catering for the events of my friends and little by little, cooking took over my life.  I stopped teaching and continued catering and working in restaurants.  I am sure many, many people in my life were scratching their heads thinking, what is she doing?  She has a good career that she is good at, why change?  I couldn’t answer them.  Truthfully, I didn’t know why I made such a drastic career change.  I was just following my intuition.  Little did I know it was the Holy Spirit preparing me for something more.

A new desire entered my heart.  I felt very strongly that one day I wanted to combine my skills in education with my love of cooking.  I didn’t know how it would work itself out, but I kept thinking about it for quite a few years.  Perhaps I would end up in a community center teaching young children to cook or work as a culinary school teacher, but the desire grew in me and I became restless thinking about it.  Never in my wildest imaginings did I ever, ever think God would fulfill this desire in me in the missions…but He did!  And when that happened, I could see the handprint of God on the twisty road that my life had become.  No longer was I questioning why my interests changed so much.  God was preparing me to be of use in His mission with His poor.  He gave me the grace to see that.

When I became involved with the Oikos Mission here in Borongan, I was astounded at all of the ministries they have to help and love the poor.  From medical assistance to feeding programs, educational sponsorships to building homes, their mission to be conduits of God’s love to His poor was, and is, absolutely amazing to me.  I became involved with the Livelihood Ministry, helping to teach the poor new livelihoods because they had lost everything as a result of Typhoon Yolanda and Typhoon Ruby.  The Piglet Recycling Program teaches beneficiaries how to raise and breed piglets and in FAITH, Food Always In The Home, the poor are taught organic fruit and vegetable growing.  The participants of these programs are aided by Oikos.  They may be given piglets, feeds, education and seeds, along with encouragement and support during the course of the program, but the beneficiaries have to do the lion’s share of the work.  If they are unwilling to work, they will not succeed, but when they succeed, it is with a great feeling of pride in themselves, restored dignity and, most importantly, a way to provide for their families.

Little by little, I began cooking and baking for the members of the Oikos mission, and an inspired idea entered into the minds of the Oikos Sisters, who are always sensitive to the whispers of the Holy Spirit.  They had been looking for a way to provide poor mothers with a livelihood endeavor to help their families, and once they saw all of the baking I could do, they quickly resolved to offer a baking livelihood to the mothers.  Here with these hard-working women, I teach them how to bake.  So far, we have made baked empanadas, pizza (American-style), a few kinds of cookies and a special bread that can be sweet or savory, cinnamon or garlic parmesan.  We have been selling our empanadas in the city of Borongan with great success!!  And we are on the verge of adding to our menu with the new things I have taught them.  After writing about this new endeavor in my blog, a friend of mine from high school contacted me to donate a new oven to the mothers.  We had been using two toaster ovens, and now we have an upright oven that can hold 6 large trays at once!  I can see the joy on the mothers faces with each new recipe learned and perfected, and I can almost feel the hope they feel in the future, in really finding a way to help their families.  With the help and support of the Oikos mission, these mothers have a wonderful opportunity to provide for their families and I have a sense of peace that I have found the desire I had all those years ago. 

One of these days, I am going to stop questioning the workings of God and just live happily in His awesomeness...  One of these days...  xxoo

This is Nanay Norma, one of the Baking Mamas!  Norma is a single parent of 9 children, 6 of whom are still in school.  She is making boku empanadas (fresh coconut)...one of Borongan's favorites!!

 

To God Be The Glory!!!

 

 

Fiesta Update, with pictures!!

We did indeed have a happy fiesta!  Here are some pictures of our great feasting!!

Roselyn, a high school scholar of Oikos walking in the parade!

All of Borongan is decorated for the fiesta!!

 

Ate Joselle is a baton-twirler in the parade!

And Aron plays the drums... its not easy to keep the beat while walking!!

First year high school student Angel is proud to walk with her school!

Bystanders having a good time!

The following pictures are taken of the schools participating in the dance competition.



Inside the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral in Borongan, Eastern Samar

Happy Birthday Mama Mary!!

Fiesta Time in Borongan!

In just a few days, we in Borongan will be celebrating the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is on September 8^th.  Every town in the Philippines, every little village even, has a feast day.  The people of that area pick a saint who is the patron of their village or city, they ask that saint to pray for them, and on the feast day of their saint they have a big, big fiesta!!  Momma Mary is the patron saint of Borongan.  I think I wrote about it on my first trip, but to recap… in the 1800’s there was a plague in Borongan among the children and many were dying.  One day, some townspeople saw a woman dressed in white bathing in the village spring.  They called out to her and she got out of the spring and crossed the street into the church.  Following her, they opened the door to the church and entered and found not the woman, but a statue of her, it was Momma Mary.  One of the people ran and brought her sick child to the spring and bathed him in it, and he was cured!  And so it was that all of the sick children were cured through the miracle of Momma Mary.  Recently, during the 2013 Super Typhoon Yolanda, the most powerful typhoon ever recorded to date, all of the eastern coastline of our island was totally wiped out, except for Borongan, which is in the center of the coastline.  People said they saw a woman in white with an umbrella walking up and down the beach just a few blocks from where I live, and Borongan was saved from the destruction of the super typhoon.  These people have a powerful love of Mary, and they celebrate the day of her birth wholeheartedly!!

People are making preparations for the fiesta.  Children are practicing for all of the parades, choirs are practicing their songs for all of the masses, schools are practicing their dance performances wherein they compete to see who can best put to dance the story I told above, and houses are being cleaned, food is being prepared, oh my…the whole city is in preparation mode.  People come here from all over the Philippines to celebrate with us.  Oikos is no different.  Our children are preparing, our mothers are cleaning and cooking with the Sisters right along with them.  It is truly a whirlwind of constant movement!  And while the “normal”, “everyday” things are going on, everyone is getting caught up in the hubbub.

At times like this, where we are cleaning and cooking and preparing, it can be easy to think that we are missionaries forgoing our mission, being caught up in the goings-on of the town and not doing missionary work.  But, here’s the thing… just because we are not going off to far flung barrios, doing dental and medical missions, bringing food and clothes to the poor, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t doing missionary work.  Even in the mundane tasks of everyday life, we are called to be missionaries, all of us.  So, even though we are on “fiesta mode,” we still stop to give a kind word to someone in need of cheering up, we still give what we have to those who come to our door, we still spend time with our children and see to their needs.  Even if your job title does not include the word “missionary,” that is what we are all called to be.  Caring for others, sharing our faith, stopping our busyness to help a person in need. 

Today is September 5^th…from here on out, it’s going to get pretty crazy, and I plan on joining in the fray of all of the movement and noise and joyfulness, with my eyes and my heart open to the needs of those around me.  Ikaw gihap? (the same with you?) xoxo

Its Back to Work for Me!

Well...I'm baaaaaccckk!!  In July I returned home to Buffalo to do fundraising through the Catholic Church's mission appeals for the Oikos Mission.  I spoke at three different churches for three consecutive weekends.  Everywhere I went people were so giving and receptive.  It was great!  Then I was able to spend a few weeks with my family before returning to the Philippines to finish my missionary year.  It was an unexpected trip home, and I had a wonderful time!!

Sometimes I feel like a yo-yo.  Going back and forth, to and fro, from the U.S. to the Philippines.  Every time I get to Buffalo, settle in, get used to the life and movement there, it's time to go back to the Philippines.  And it seems the same is true in the reverse.  It's dizzying.  And yet, I cannot imagine life without my family in America or without my family in Borongan.  But then I flip the coin and see how incredibly lucky I am to have such beautiful people in my life, that I am, amazingly enough, given the means to travel and have people who love me in both places.   The negative image of the yo-yo falls away in the face of all of those blessings.  ...just some musings...

Anyways, I'm back in the Philippines and have noticed something.  It's not really anything that's new to me.  Sometimes I can see the same thing many times and  at the 10th time I've seen it, I am moved in a particular way.  Looking out of my hotel room this morning...(yes, the Oikos Sisters get a hotel room for me the day I arrive so I can rest from my travels and build up my strength from the weariness of moving half way around the world...more blessings)...anyways, looking out of my hotel room this morning, the first thing I saw was color.  The amazing, vibrant, almost shocking color of the dock here in Tacloban, Western Samar in the Philippines.  The boats are painted in a vast array of bright and eye-catching colors.  Sitting in the port, as the early morning sunshine beams down and casts a reflection on the gently rippling crystal blue water, the colors of these boats are magnified, almost too pretty to look at.  Then you notice the people, dressed in summery clothes in consideration of the humid Filipino heat, carrying baskets of fruits and vegetables to sell, pulling carts full of the same, hoping to sell enough to survive the day.  And the birds, chittering and flying about, waiting for the perfect opportunity to grab a tidbit for themselves.  It is a dazzling sight.  Then, your eyes are almost blinded by the reflection of the morning sun on metal, tin to be exact.  See, all along the beautifully colored dock with the beautiful people and birds, are tiny shacks with tin roofs.  People, families, live in these tiny shacks along the road next to the sea.  And once again I see the dichotomy of the world.  How can beauty and destitution live so close to each other?  How can something seen at 4 floors up look so peaceful and idyllic, and yet in reality, is bordering on death.  And where do I fit in in all of this??  

It seems, even on my second day here, I am face to face with a stark reality.  What am I doing here?  What is my purpose here? 

You know, a few weeks ago, my mother had a dinner in which she invited me and my nieces and nephew who have been doing some missionary work  (Passing on the torch!!!) to share about our missionary experiences.  Anyways, after the stories about the work that we had all done, stories of hope and stories of sadness, a question was staring us all in the face.  What's it all for?  What difference did I make?  If any???

I remembered a quote from St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would  be less without that one drop."

Love.  I came here to love.  To live love.  That's all.  It's what we are all supposed to do wherever we are.  To love one another.  Whether it is in our hometowns or half way around the world, in the workplace or on vacation, we are called to love/. And when we do that, when love is the motivation for what we do, anything we do is enough.  We may never know in this life what difference we made in the lives of others, in the world...but you can rest assured that when you act out of love, you do make a difference in someone's life, in the world, even in yourself!  That's what it's all for!!! Xxoo

A Trip to South Korea!!

In May of this year, I had an amazing opportunity to go to South Korea to a place called Kkottongnae.  This is an order of priests, nuns, brothers and lay volunteers that work in South Korea, near Seoul, caring for the abandoned, forgotten, and homeless people.  I was there with most of the Oikos Sisters attending an immersion retreat, learning about the Kkottongnae philosophy of loving others.  So, in a nutshell... (we'll make it a coconut shell because its a big one and we can fit a lot in there!):

Kkottongnae was started by a priest named Fr. John Oh in the 70's.  He had just become a new priest.  He already had a love of abandoned people at the time of his encounter with Grandfather Che, but here's the story...

One night Fr. John was on the streets in Seoul when he spotted a beggar.  Fr. John could tell that the man was sick as he knocked on doors and asked for rice.  The man was dressed in ripped rags and was stooped over, as if in pain.  Fr. John decided to follow him to see where he lived.  When the man arrived at his destination, a drafty place under a bridge, what Fr. John saw astounded him.  This poor man who was sick and in pain wasn't begging for himself, but for the 18 other beggars under the bridge with him who were more sick than he.  Fr. John knew immediately that this was no chance encounter.  The Holy Spirit had led him there to see this man, and at that moment one of the foundational philosophies of Kkottongnae was born:  Even if you only have the strength to beg for food, it is a blessing from the Lord.

From there, Father John built a home for the poor and abandoned.  He only had one American dollar, but he used it wisely and with that and through inspired donations, the first home for the poor was built.  It was a simple home, but it was well built and it's foundation was love and charity.  Over the years, Kkottongnae has grown, volunteers came to work with Father John, some so inspired by his life that they wanted to join him as priests, sisters and brothers.  Father John began working with the South Korean government, helping them to write social welfare laws for the true good of the people, and the government began helping him and his order.  Today, close to 50 years later, Kkottongnae is growing and thriving in South Korea, and in other countries throughout the world.

In this immersion/retreat, we learned and saw so many things.  I'll give you the highlights, the things that really touched me.

At Kkottongnae, there are many state of the art buildings.  They have a university, an elderly home, an orphanage, a retreat center where we stayed and a home for the disabled.  We met this woman pictured on the left.  I wish I could remember her name.  She was probably a little older than me.  She had no use of her hands and arms.  But that did not stop her one bit.  She writes, eats, even does cross-stitch with her feet!!  I kid you not.  She wrote a beautiful prayer for us that one of the brothers interpreted.  It was 2 pages long!!  She even goes up to the second floor where the more sick people live and she helps to feed them!!  I just remembered being floored by her story.  How many times in my life have I complained about my inability to do something, whatever it was, and never finished the project, and here this angel is, thanking God for her life and for the ability He gave her to love others and help them.  Talk about a wake-up call!!

Here is Sister Michelle with a young man whose greatest desire in life was to go to school.  He did in fact go to the school that Kkottongnae runs for people with disabilities.  The school was begun for him, as a matter of fact.  One day his doctor asked him what he wanted, and he said I want to go to school.  The school isn't far from the Kkottongnae campus and many of the city's disabled children go there, thrive there.  At this time he lives in the hospital because he has gotten sick.  By the way, the hospital is located on the campus as well.  One of the great things about Kkottongnae is that they are able to work with the government for the sake of the people they care for.  The government subsidizes the mission for it's help of all the poor people they serve.  So his medical needs and daily living expenses are paid for by the government.  And what do you think this guy does with the extra money that he has after his bills are paid?  He buys eggs for poor children who live in Africa.  Once again, I kid you not. 

Kkottongnae is a prolife mission.  Here is a fetus garden for aborted babies.  They try to help mothers to make the decision to give life to their babies and also offer post abortive care for mothers.  They have a center on their campus where they teach families how to love their children and elderly parents, how abandoning them is wrong and where they can go for help.  They care so tenderly for everyone seeking their assistance.  And that's not all, they care for people at their time of natural death and even after.  They are building a cathedral in their cemetery.  The bricks that make up the cathedral are for the ashes of the people that die there for most have no families who want to care for them, even after they die.  And they pray so beautifully for the souls of their loved ones who have died.  At Kkottongnae, they truly live out a prolife mission, caring and loving all they serve from conception until natural death, and even beyond that. 

 These are pictures of the bricks that will be placed in the cathedral holding the ashes of the deceased, and on the right is the cathedral in the midst of being built. I think this meant so much to me because its one thing to care for the person in front of you...I find it very easy to do that.  But at Kkottongnae, they truly, truly care for these people, while in their care and even after they have passed on.  They remember with love and sincere prayers all of the people God has sent to them, living and deceased.  They are the real-deal.  They are quite amazing.

I guess along with all of this, another thing occurs to me.  (well, a lot does) At Kkottongnae, abandoned people, homeless people are not only cared for, they are celebrated.  With no questions or qualifications...you are living, you are breathing therefore I will love you.  They don't get down on people because they are on the streets.  They don't lose patience with people because of where they are in life.  They don't judge the people they help.  If a person wants to get to a better place, at Kkottongnae, they help them to do that, at his or her pace, with patience and understanding.  And if not?  They are given the same love and care.  Theirs is not to judge.  OURS is not to judge.  Oh...you are a child of God?  I will love you.  Period.  I find it refreshing and hope I can bring the spirit of Kkottongnae into my life, my dealings with others...and pass it on!!

"Saranghamnida" means We love you.  And when you say it, your make a heart over your head with your arms, like Sister Clarissa is doing here:

 

And when you're standing with someone, you each put up one arm to make the heart like Sister Minerva and me:

 

Kamsahamnida (thank you) for reading about my experiences in South Korea!!  And many, many thanks to the Oikos Sisters, the Diocese of Borongan and my sponsors for allowing me to experience the amazingness of Kkottongnae!!

 

Most of all, kamsahamnida to the Lord for His goodness to me.  Salamat sa Dios!!

(gee, I'm becoming quite the linguist!)

 

God is good...oh so good!!! 

 

Want to find out more about Kkottongnae?  Go to http://www.eng.kkot.or.kr

 

xoxo

 

Graduation Time in Oikos

Graduations are always exciting times, even here in Oikos.  All of the hard work and time sacrificed to studies has paid off and has culminated to a jubilant walk across the stage signifying crossing from one side of life to another.  The scholars in Oikos have worked so very hard and we are all so very proud of all of them!!!  These are the students who are sponsored by the Poor Household of God and who board within the Oikos Mission Houses, called Oikos Angels, who graduated college this year:

Kate graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration

Benedict graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education

Rosalinda graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education

Maria Lyn graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education

Joy Lyn graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Agriculture

Ivan (Cum Laude) and Lino graduated from the College Seminary with Bachelor Degrees in Philosophy.  Both of them are going on to Theology, with hopes of entering the priesthood.

Me with Roselyn, Nanay Evelyn(Ivan's mother), Ivan and Lino

Sister Minerva with Kate and Maria Lyn

Sisters Minerva and Ethel with the graduates from Eastern Samar State University (except for Kate)

Sister Ethel with Lino at the Seminary graduation.

Since the City of Borongan is adding two years on to high school beginning this year, senior high, there were no high school graduations this year, nor will there be any next year.  But we did have a few elementary school graduates this year.  In the Philippines, students graduate from elementary after grade 6:
                                         This is Lhans who graduated from grade 6 and will be
                           attending a boarding school in Cebu run by the Sisters of Mary for poor
                                                                    girls and boys.

This is Jake who graduated with honors from grade 6.  He will be joining

Lhans in the boarding school in Cebu.

 This is Angel who also graduated from grade 6.  Angel will be attending high school here in Borongan. 

 

 

We are all so proud of our graduates!  Truly, all of them have worked so hard to achieve this great honor.  And all of them, all of the Oikos Family, are so grateful to The Poor Household of God who makes it possible for these children not only to go to school, but to be able to have money for their fare to and from school, money for their school projects and for food each day. 

 

And not only that, each one of these students, and in fact ALL of the students sponsored by The Poor Household of God, each one of them knows that this day, their graduation day, might not be possible if it weren't for the generosity and love of people all around the world who sponsor them.  The thoughtfulness and love of these sponsors gives these children wings to succeed in school and in life.  If you are an Oikos Sponsor, THANK YOU!!!

 

If you would like to become an Oikos Sponsor and provide the opportunity for a poor child in the Philippines to break out of  the bonds of poverty, please click here.

 

We give praise and thanks to God for His great providence and love.

 

xxoo