In December 2010, religious communities were asked about the trafficking of women and girls in their community. Responses came from all over the world. Those responses are the basis of this video as well as a panel discussion held on March 8th at The Salvation Army International Justice Commission in New York City.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
mission is relationships. [and presence]
the question was, "how do you feel like you are helping people there?"
this morning, i had the great opportunity to skype with an intern with cabrini mission corps, to put together some voice-over narrations on my day-to-day life as a missioner here in baguio city. one of the questions she asked me, "how do you feel like you are helping people there?" (or something along those lines)...was with me all day - in the morning on the jeepney ride to the office, in the afternoon, reflecting with sr. terezinha, and in the evening, as i reflected on the gospel with my community during prayer time.
being asked that question, for once, i felt like i was in a tongue twister. i didn't have a clear answer. this question seems like a pretty clear, easy question to answer, and i could have gone off on all the things that i do here...i teach, i am helping to organize our foundation here, i am leading bible studies and serving at various liturgies...but, when answering the question (though i don't even remember if i completely answered the question or just threw out some verbal vomit), i couldn't help but talk about my call to serve, and how God called me here, so i have to trust that no matter what i am doing, i am helping...but i don't want to use the word helping...rather, it is an answer to a call. service. but coupled with my desire to do as i do.
at prayer tonight, i shared how i think i really lucked out, in that i am able to do what i love doing - sure there is sacrifice, but all i have to do, is just bring me, and be me, here on mission, and that is all that is asked of me. if i am helping, great, but that is not the mindset that i have at all! i think sr. bernadette really put it into perspective when she affirmed me and told me that mission is all about presence - sure, i do a lot of things, but presence itself speaks volumes. and it is true.
"we are human beings, not human doings" - one of my favorite quotes!
the other day, sr. terezinha and i had a recollection with one another where we reflected on our mission experience so far...and one of the things we talked about, was how important it was for the communities and people we serve, to just know that we genuinely and thoroughly enjoy being with them. they are not a ministry to serve to...but rather, we care for them, and we have a shared desire to be with them whenever we visit.
on another note, today, sr. terezinha told me how i have a missionary vocation. the question is...what does that look like for me? she said it to me, so matter-of-fact...as in, the sun is shining bright today. it was just, truth. i take that very seriously, because well, 1) i 100% look up to sr. terezinha and 2) i trust her judgment (she's so wise!) and 3) she has worked with many missioners before with cabrini mission corps, so she has had quite the experience with young adults! as i hopped off the jeepney and walked on home, i was thinking about that comment she said to me, and i thought to myself - wow, it's just so funny because i am such a huge fan of helping people realize their call and a supporter of people taking risks and uncovering their call even more, and well, while i am in the midst of discovering what my vocation is, sr. terezinha seems to have shed some light on that calling. of mine. really good stuff!
not to say i am going to be a sister or i will be single or i will be married (but one of those will eventually happen!), but i believe that God's providence and grace definitely works through people, sometimes to get through to us [me, in this case]. when i got home, i was reflecting on this with one of the girls i live with. i talked about my experiences last year in new york, and how my journey here to baguio has just fit so perfectly together - it's been such a very beautifully knit story, and it's still going, and it is not yet over - thank goodness! :)
but something that i reflected on these past 6 months in baguio, is that God has really provided me with everything that i need here...more specifically, God has placed such key, wonderful people in my life here. God knows what resources i will need - who i will need to talk to when x happens, or who i will need to grab coffee with when y happens...God provides - and that is SO clear to me. so the question i ask myself is, if i have seen God work in this way, in sending people my way, wherever i go - what is the difficulty in trusting that God will not continue to do so in the future? especially to places where i am called to go next?
when i first got here to baguio, i didn't think i would have any friends, and when people asked me that much-dreaded question, crystal, do you have friends? my answer always started with..."welllllll"....but now, i have formed such a wonderful, life-giving community around me! God moves, and God is working, and i must continue to trust that God will send the right people my way, and it is up to me, to nurture the relationships i have in my life, trusting in God's grace and good, perfect timing.
that, is my thought of the day. :)
this morning, i had the great opportunity to skype with an intern with cabrini mission corps, to put together some voice-over narrations on my day-to-day life as a missioner here in baguio city. one of the questions she asked me, "how do you feel like you are helping people there?" (or something along those lines)...was with me all day - in the morning on the jeepney ride to the office, in the afternoon, reflecting with sr. terezinha, and in the evening, as i reflected on the gospel with my community during prayer time.
being asked that question, for once, i felt like i was in a tongue twister. i didn't have a clear answer. this question seems like a pretty clear, easy question to answer, and i could have gone off on all the things that i do here...i teach, i am helping to organize our foundation here, i am leading bible studies and serving at various liturgies...but, when answering the question (though i don't even remember if i completely answered the question or just threw out some verbal vomit), i couldn't help but talk about my call to serve, and how God called me here, so i have to trust that no matter what i am doing, i am helping...but i don't want to use the word helping...rather, it is an answer to a call. service. but coupled with my desire to do as i do.
at prayer tonight, i shared how i think i really lucked out, in that i am able to do what i love doing - sure there is sacrifice, but all i have to do, is just bring me, and be me, here on mission, and that is all that is asked of me. if i am helping, great, but that is not the mindset that i have at all! i think sr. bernadette really put it into perspective when she affirmed me and told me that mission is all about presence - sure, i do a lot of things, but presence itself speaks volumes. and it is true.
"we are human beings, not human doings" - one of my favorite quotes!
the other day, sr. terezinha and i had a recollection with one another where we reflected on our mission experience so far...and one of the things we talked about, was how important it was for the communities and people we serve, to just know that we genuinely and thoroughly enjoy being with them. they are not a ministry to serve to...but rather, we care for them, and we have a shared desire to be with them whenever we visit.
on another note, today, sr. terezinha told me how i have a missionary vocation. the question is...what does that look like for me? she said it to me, so matter-of-fact...as in, the sun is shining bright today. it was just, truth. i take that very seriously, because well, 1) i 100% look up to sr. terezinha and 2) i trust her judgment (she's so wise!) and 3) she has worked with many missioners before with cabrini mission corps, so she has had quite the experience with young adults! as i hopped off the jeepney and walked on home, i was thinking about that comment she said to me, and i thought to myself - wow, it's just so funny because i am such a huge fan of helping people realize their call and a supporter of people taking risks and uncovering their call even more, and well, while i am in the midst of discovering what my vocation is, sr. terezinha seems to have shed some light on that calling. of mine. really good stuff!
not to say i am going to be a sister or i will be single or i will be married (but one of those will eventually happen!), but i believe that God's providence and grace definitely works through people, sometimes to get through to us [me, in this case]. when i got home, i was reflecting on this with one of the girls i live with. i talked about my experiences last year in new york, and how my journey here to baguio has just fit so perfectly together - it's been such a very beautifully knit story, and it's still going, and it is not yet over - thank goodness! :)
but something that i reflected on these past 6 months in baguio, is that God has really provided me with everything that i need here...more specifically, God has placed such key, wonderful people in my life here. God knows what resources i will need - who i will need to talk to when x happens, or who i will need to grab coffee with when y happens...God provides - and that is SO clear to me. so the question i ask myself is, if i have seen God work in this way, in sending people my way, wherever i go - what is the difficulty in trusting that God will not continue to do so in the future? especially to places where i am called to go next?
when i first got here to baguio, i didn't think i would have any friends, and when people asked me that much-dreaded question, crystal, do you have friends? my answer always started with..."welllllll"....but now, i have formed such a wonderful, life-giving community around me! God moves, and God is working, and i must continue to trust that God will send the right people my way, and it is up to me, to nurture the relationships i have in my life, trusting in God's grace and good, perfect timing.
that, is my thought of the day. :)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
consolation
my last two weeks on mission...really transforming, and worth recapping - i don't want to forget these fun experiences i had...sometimes i don't like taking pictures, cause i don't want to feel like a tourist, and usually, i don't - but sometimes i have to take pictures, cause well...the moments are THAT good :)
sr. terezinha and i recently started teaching religion to a small elementary school, about half an hour outside of baguio city. we got connected to this school because sr. terezinha is involved as part of the leadership team at one of the parishes, and the secretary there used to teach religion classes there, but now she can't, so she asked sr. terzinha, and the rest is history...so every week, there we are...sr. terezinha teaches grades 1-3, and i teach grades 4-6. i'm pretty sure every time i leave my day of classes, walking up to the main road with sr. terezinha, i say, "wow, i would teach here, for real." it's that good.
it's pretty amazing how all of these opportunities for ministry have come up for sr. terezinha and i. at first it was really difficult, cause i did not really know where to even begin - but sure enough, when you stay inside 4 walls, you miss out on the world outside. something that i have also been reflecting on, is "too small a world." mother cabrini is right on with that...and that is how i feel right now. i am so thankful to have discovered this school with sr. t and to be able to venture from place to place, spreading the love of God. but not even just at this school...there is just, so much here. i am realizing it's all about going with your heart, and if your intentions are good, if your desire is there - God will use it, and so...to all of these barangays we are headed, and all of these experiences i have had so far!
in terms of lesson planning, it's really interesting, but working at the high school last year, and receiving training from response ability last year, really prepared me for teaching right now. even though now i am teaching elementary school, wow, i am getting so much experience! a lot of the times i step into the class, and i think to myself, ok, here we go!! and i don't even have time to think, i just GO! or most the time i think on my feet with my materials in hand. :) i think the teachers like when i come in, cause it gives them a break too. haha!
the classes here are SO respectful. as soon as i step foot into the door - they all stand up and say, "goooooodddd morning ateeeeee crystalllllll" haha when i brought one of my friends there they other day, she said, "wow! they know you!" and they do. :) and i love it! and then when you leave, they all stand up and say, "thank you and have a nice dayyyy ateeeee crystallllll"
it's really good too, because i end up recycling my lesson plans - plan the saturday activity for the kids here at SOSCFI, and then do the same activity with each of the classes at the school. and then for our bible studies, we use the same ones for the week for the cathedral, balili and irisan. oh! AND we have turned our balili bible study into a bible study for the children! the parents have not been as active, but the children are ALWAYS there! and so...we adapt to the situation :) can't wait to come up with a name for that community! needless to say, i think i heard sunday's gospel, i WANT to say, 8 times this week. SERIOUSLY. haha it's ok, repetition is good. sometimes. :)
the other week, sr. terezinha taught the religion portion for the day to the classes, and then i taught them the music for the mass that they would be having for the first friday. that next day, sr. t and i joined the parish priest, another seminarian and the music director, and we ventured off to celebrate mass at the school. well, we asked them to drop us off at the main road, and then they said they were heading to another high school to do mass. and sooo we came along for the ride! it was so fun! it was my first experience being the commentator, and though it is not a role that i super love, it was needed, and now i am officially trained :) YES! i also learned more songs in ilocano. woohoo! i think these past couple of weeks, i really felt like a missionary on the go. and i realize, i really like it.
and so, i'm looking forward to what is next. there's a need, and so we go. that's kinda our motto. thank you, mother cabrini!
 |
| we are called. i think i sing this in my sleep. really. |
it's pretty amazing how all of these opportunities for ministry have come up for sr. terezinha and i. at first it was really difficult, cause i did not really know where to even begin - but sure enough, when you stay inside 4 walls, you miss out on the world outside. something that i have also been reflecting on, is "too small a world." mother cabrini is right on with that...and that is how i feel right now. i am so thankful to have discovered this school with sr. t and to be able to venture from place to place, spreading the love of God. but not even just at this school...there is just, so much here. i am realizing it's all about going with your heart, and if your intentions are good, if your desire is there - God will use it, and so...to all of these barangays we are headed, and all of these experiences i have had so far!
 |
| the 5th graders working hard on the project i assigned em! |
the classes here are SO respectful. as soon as i step foot into the door - they all stand up and say, "goooooodddd morning ateeeeee crystalllllll" haha when i brought one of my friends there they other day, she said, "wow! they know you!" and they do. :) and i love it! and then when you leave, they all stand up and say, "thank you and have a nice dayyyy ateeeee crystallllll"
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| yes. this is my spontaneous activity i brought up for the balili bible study. it's ok, they knew it was a light bulb, despite it's awesome lopsidedness. |
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| mass at the high school! |
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| mass at the elementary school! :) |
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| view of the cordilleras. beautiful. |
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