Much of July was with Operations Shift Teams of BLNG in Brunei, helping them integrate newly recruited female technicians. Four teams went through our 3-day programmes. As closure exercise, each member of each Shift put their hand print on a canvas. The four canvas paintings were then framed and put together as a reminder for the team of their New Ways of Being Team.
May was with the Canossian Sisters in Arushia, Tanzania, Africa. Two groups of sisters came and attended the workshop on Christian Leadership. While in Tanzania, we were introduced to the world of the Mazai. Here we are with the Mazai blanket.
We were back with the Vista Alignment Encounter Workshop. This time it was held in Cebu at the beautiful Radisson Blue Hotel. The workshop was held on March 28 - April 1. Another great group of people who just blended with one another like they already knew each other for a long time.
March 21 - 25 was with a group of Priests, Religious and Lay Pastoral Workers in EAPI for Managing Stress, Burnout and Other Conditions. The group was on a Sabbatical Program. Since we came in to their program almost at the end it was great to just build up on what they have already picked up from the other modules in the program.
Was in Brunei last Friday for a marathon meeting on their need to integrate 10 lady technicians into their LNG plant operations. We met the ladies and indeed they are so young -- perhaps unaware of the challenges of being in a plant and being in a traditionally male team of technicians.
Looking forward to working with them in June this year.
Currently enroute to Brunei for some meetings with the Brunei Liquified Natural Gas (BLNG) people. Breaking our journey from Vancouver, we spent the night in Singapore -- at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. What a beauty!
A ship-like structure on top of three hotel towers (or banana on thee wafers). But most interesting is while at the top (they call it Sky Park), one gets a sense of being just in an ordinary park -- spacious and with lots of trees; plus the infinity pool simply is breath-taking.
Sunday 5th February was a day for St. Luke's Parish, Maple Ridge, BC with Fr. Amador Abundo and 28 of his parishioners in a workshop on Living the Lay Vocation.
The workshop was pioneering in that we experimented on linking Stewardship with the Vancouver Archdiocesan Synod framework. Great to have worked with such a group of people keen on advancing in their journey to holiness.
January 16 to 21 was a trip to Nadiad, Gujarat, India for the Annual Retreat of a group of 27 Diocesan Priests from the Diocese of Ahmedabad. On hand to support the priests was Most Rev. Thomas Macwan, Bishop of the Diocese.
The venue was the Pastoral Center of the Diocese which was a cloister sort of a compound with area to walk and meditate on.
We were surprised to realize that during such period, the place can be so cold. We were caught unprepared as we thought the temperature would just be nice.
The last night of the Simbang Gabi was held at Immaculate Conception parish in Delta. It was a fitting culmination of the nine day journey that Sambayanang Pilipino in BC did in preparation for the coming of Jesus.
During the novena the Simbang Gabi was given many meanings. One, the nine-day preparation was associated with the nine months of nurturing that the Blessed Mother did from Annunciation to Christmas. Second, it was likened to the wait that the disciples experienced between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost. And third, it was likened to the pilgrimage that is part of the Christian tradition -- the point of destination being Christ, Himself.
As usual, the Simbang Gabi will not be complete without the salu-salo (fellowship) with lots of food to share. This short clip captures the spirit behind the gathering after the Mass.
For the past eight years, the Sambayanang Pilipino Society of BC has brought the Simbang Gabi to the many parishes of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. In the early years, not so much support came for this idea. Many people, including some Filipinos, argued that since we all understand English anyway there is no need to have Masses in our own language.
Last night after the 8th Simbang Gabi at the St. Bernadette's Parish, Surrey, BC, we talked to some of the elderly Filipinos who came. They were so grateful and explained that hearing the Word of God (and homily) in Filipino is still so much different from hearing it in English. Here is what one of them, who wishes to remain anonymous, had to say...
A second Mass at Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Burnaby. This time it was Fr. Salvador Reyes of Abbotsford who celebrated the Mass. Fr. Jun was with Sambayanang Pilipino as early as the time he came to Canada from Rome. During those days he had difficulty in speaking Tagalog. He was more conversant with Italian than our language. But, to our surprise, this evening he was fluent like a native speaker -- 'kumukutikutitap' as he himself would say!
Ivy delivered the Panghuling Salita. Here is her message.
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