It was during my stay with Nanay Andring’s family that I became fluent with the Visayan language and learned more about the Filipino culture.
LAY MISSION ARTICLES
Email: clmssc_phil@yahoo.com; Contact Number: (NCR) 02-8722-5732; 0999-311-9038 / 0915-460-0264
I often think of the image of the compassionate God who never abandons His people, and as a missionary I continue to live out and be a witness to His compassion.
As the weeks and months passed by, I found myself asking the universe when I can see my husband and daughter, and hug my twin boys again. It was a painfully sad time.
Perhaps that was the scenario when the lepers were asking Jesus to heal them. They must have been in pain, crying for help like her. And perhaps the only free medication for them was to turn to Jesus in faith.
Lockdown kicked off in Karachi, Pakistan on March 23, two weeks before the end of our Urdu language classes. The whole area where we were was in total silence which was very unusual. We don’t get this kind of silence during ordinary days.
“It is hard to acknowledge and accept yourself for who you truly are but as I learned to let go of my ego and pride, it was very liberating.“
A virtual Eucharistic celebration was held on October 6, 2020 to commemorate this milestone and celebrate the blessings and gifts received and the challenges encountered along the journey.
One of my favorite Mandarin phrases is 加油 (jiā yóu). The first character ‘加’ (jiā) means "add" and the second character ‘油’ (yóu) means "oil”. 加油 means "to add oil" or “refuel”. In Taiwan, you will see the sign, ‘加油’ in gasoline stations but 加油 is also an expression of encouragement and support such as "Go!"; "Come on!" and “Keep it up!".
Two first-term Columban Lay Missionaries arrived in the Philippines last February 22, 2020. On February 27, they traveled to Davao City to begin their six months of full-time language studies (Binisaya). On March 11, the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On March 15, a modified lockdown had been declared in the different provinces of the country. Barely four months in the Philippines, Latai and Mereani share how they are coping with all the uncertainties.
"Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of those who are poor and hungry..." -Pope Francis