|
 The
First Archdiocesan Mission Congress held last October 18-20, 2008 made
an impact on the staff and lay coordinators of the Lipa Archdiocesan
Commission on Migrants and Mission (LCMMI). Mission, the congress
stated, must create and enhance ongoing dialogue with the poor,
different cultures and different religions. This was first voiced out in
the last Asian Mission Congress in 2006, in Changmai, Thailand.
While the
commission was having our evaluation and assessment of the just
concluded congress last November, 2007, we also planned to have our
Christmas party. One lay coordinator from San Jose, suggested that we
celebrate Christmas differently in the spirit and atmosphere of the
Archdiocesan Mission Congress message of dialogue especially with the
poor. Everybody agreed to gather street children all over Lipa
City and celebrate Christmas with them.
With the
initiatives of June and Iking (both LACMMI staff), they started
contacting the street children and preparing them for the party. At the
same time, coordinators were being invited to bring old and new toys,
clothes and gifts for the street and poor children. I, as director of
LACMMI, first met with 12 children last December 12, 2007 at our office.
It was a very touching encounter listening to and talking with them.
Their different stories of poverty, suffering and pain led me to
empathize with their difficult situation.
I began to feel
the story of Joey Velasco’s painting and experience in his canvas “Hapag
ng Pag-asa” – a Last Supper painting with Jesus Christ in the middle and
instead of the apostles dining with Him he has 12 street children beside
Him with different stories to tell. As I listen to the children’s
stories of poverty, I could picture the images and stories of the
children of Hapag ng Pag-asa in my mind.
The day of the
party came. Last December 15, 2007, we gathered the children. Instead of
the expected 30 children there were 57 of them who came including some
of their parents and their elder siblings. Fr. Jay Encarnacion
celebrated the mass for them with the presence of our lay LACMMI
coordinators. After the mass, the coordinators started preparing the
gifts and dole outs while June Inabayan, Iking and Angel (our gracious
young volunteer who herself came from the ranks of the poor) began
entertaining the kids with stories, games and singing. Children also
introduced themselves and shared their different stories of poverty and
suffering. It was immediately noticed that the lay coordinators and some
guests were emotionally affected by the situation.
You can
immediately hear the words of Jesus Christ, “Blessed are the poor, for
they shall see God” (Mt. 5) and “If you do not live like little
children, you will not be fit to enter the Kingdom of God”. It was a
common experience of hearing the stories of the poor, but when you come
close to them, touch them, listen to them, watch them and feel them, it
was different. You see how dirty and poor they are. Maybe they are not
yet the poorest of the poor in the society of Lipa, but they gave us the
feel of poverty, misery and pain. They are always around us, and we just
looked at them merely as statistics (to borrow the words of Joey
Velasco).
The party went on
with lunch for everybody. They were so happy having such a very good and
sumptuous meal. I felt my heart shrank when a little child of 5 or 6
told me while having lunch: “Pwede ko po ba iuwe ang tira kong pagkain?
Dadalhin ko kay nanay. Di pa kasi sya kumakain”. And many more of them
said the same request. They may be poor but they have good hearts.
We gave away
gifts: packs with rice, noodles, sardines, candies, old and new clothes
and toys. We also gave cash prizes to those who performed well. I
showered them with some coins for revelries and fun. They were so happy.
But the lay coordinators were happier on the experience of a unique,
concrete and grace-filled encounter and dialogue with the poor. It gave
sense to our Christmas party: unselfish, altruistic and Christ-inspired
mission of genuine dialogue with the poor.
I don’t think it
was a one shot deal and event of dialogue with the poor. Everybody was
affected and challenged to make this a part of our system not only
during the Christmas season of giving and sharing but every time we came
face to face with the poor. This is not only waiting for the poor to
come to us but most especially to reach out to them, dialogue with them,
learn from them and feel Jesus Christ’s presence in them. This is a
Christmas experience and message for all of us. Christ speaks to us
through the poor.
Mission is
dialogue with the poor. This is the continuation of the Archdiocesan
Mission Congress. It does not stop. As long as we are a Church, mission
continues. We can’t be fully a missionary church unless we create and
recreate this dialogue and story telling with the poor: telling them our
stories of Jesus and listening to their own unique Jesus experiences and
stories. Christmas is also an arena for doing mission especially for the
poor.
More photos on slideshow | 
