By Ana Flores, Columban Lay Missionary As a missionary in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, I came to understand in a deeply personal way how difficult life can be without something as basic as water. What I once considered ordinary, I began to recognize as a daily struggle for many. During my first years there,
By Joan Yap, Columban Lay Missionary in Taiwan What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” These words struck me deeply because they reflect what I feel whenever I am confronted by something unfamiliar and uncomfortable. I have been a lay missionary for almost fifteen years now,
By Lilibeth Sabado, CLM, Philippines When I first arrived in Negros Occidental as part of a team of three Lay Missionaries, I carried with me a mixture of gratitude, hope, and uncertainty. Each of us brought varied and common experiences from overseas mission and from here in our home region. But coming to Negros
Encountering the Presence of God in Everyday Life By Noh Hyein, Anna – Philippines A small bird flew in through the sunlit window. It rested for a moment near the ceiling above the altar, then flew away again. Seeing this little creature during Mass reminded me deeply that I have truly returned to
By Jao Resari, CLM in Taiwan Last December, I received a message from Mark (not his real name), a foreign worker who arrived in Taiwan just a few months earlier. He was inquiring about where and how to take an HIV-antibody test. I arranged a time for us to go to the hospital so
By Michael Javier, Columban Lay Missionary The Columban house in Myitkyina, Kachin state, is located within the compound of Eden. It is surrounded by bamboo and a variety of trees that provide more than enough shelter for the different kinds of animals, including birds, snakes, bees, and more. There is also space for growing
