For those who have not read the most recent Catholic News, here's what you missed:
R.O.M.E. nourishes youth Forty-five youthful participants from various Singapore parishes went to Pattaya, Thailand on a Redemptorist Overseas Mission Experience (R.O.M.E.) last December to minister at institutions run by the Redemptorists - orphanage, schools for the blind and deaf, children’s home, vocational school for the disabled and outreach to street kids. The Singaporean youth were nourished mentally, emotionally, and spiritually by the experience.
By Rebecca Wong, Trini Tan and Rachel Goh
WHILE MINISTERING TO the children, many of us wondered why they were abandoned and subjected to such injustice. Some of us were most moved at the orphanage when we experienced abandonment and acceptance whilst giving and receiving love.
“When I first entered the orphanage, I faced a rejection and felt upset,” recalled Cherlynn Ang, 16. “But I found consolation in prayer.” As we were on a mission to teach and to give of ourselves, we were surprised to find that we were the ones being reached out to and evangelized, and we learned a lesson on unconditional love.
Babies with their outstretched arms gazed at us as we entered the nursery and, at that moment, we saw how much they needed that human touch and close contact that the nannies were unable to give.
On becoming emotionally attached to a baby after a day at the orphanage, many of us expected to return to the same relationship later. However, when some babies did not remember or chose to ignore us, we felt abandoned too.
Unconditional love is the giving of love regardless of who the recipient is. It does not matter if the baby does not return to you because the mission is not about loving one baby but the giving of love to one and all. This we learnt from Father Simon Pereira who advised that “acceptance is loving another baby and letting go of the attachment that one feels with a single baby. More essentially, we have to learn to understand that someone else is equally capable of providing the same amount of love that I would to the child, no matter how difficult or how much it hurts.”
Holding the child and watching the child fall asleep in one’s arms, singing a soft lullaby to soothe her, truly melts one’s heart. The security and comfort that the child found in us reminded us of the way affluence has marred the simplicity of love in a relationship because it was only at Pattaya that we really discovered what it means to love.
A small group of us interacted with Thai youth at the Redemptorist Outreach Work for Street Kids and fostered a close relationship with them.
Our friendship with them was strong despite the language barrier; we found understanding in each other through gestures and having fun together. The Thai youth evoked shame in us because we often take our homes for granted while they had nothing and had turned to the drop-in centre to keep off the streets.
“The ministries really touched me, not because of the insights or contrast to the life that we’re used to, but by the enormous amount of love that you discover in your heart,” reflected Rachel Goh, 16.
On one occasion, we took the blind children to the beach – a rather long walk – and it was then that we forged a friendship of trust with the children.
“I was amazed that the blind boy trusted me completely and allowed me to lead him to the beach, knowing that, somehow, I would bring him there safely,” said Trini Tan, 16. “It was amazing seeing him joyful, just sitting on the sand and feeling the waves. It made me think of how I was never appreciative of what I had.”
During an excursion to McDonalds with the deaf children, Rebecca Wong, 22, recollected that “there was a child who became very attached to me. From the moment he boarded the bus to the time he got back to the orphanage, he did not want to let go of me.
During lunch, he only had four pieces of nuggets but he still offered me one. A guilty pang hit me. With the abundance I had, I was rather calculative when giving; but this child, with so little, was very generous. Seeing them satisfied with the little possessions they had made me realize that I was caught up in materialistic ways, to the extent that I forgot how to be appreciative of the little things I had. Through this experience, I learnt that true happiness is being able to enjoy the moments and things that I have, and not demand for more.”
The visit is over. People might ask if we have achieved much of lasting value for the children we ministered to. That does not really matter. For, in the words of the late Father Raymond Brennan, founder of the Father Ray Foundation: “Do not worry if you can’t give the best to every child, you have given your very best.”
The spirit of love and evangelization continues to burn within us. The dream goes on – R.O.M.E. in Singapore. This is our post-mission challenge.
Lent starts Tomorrow with Ash Wednesday.
It will also mark the beginning of our Lenten Campaign for the Poor 2008. Let this 7 weeks of spiritual preparation for Easter, be our MISSION as we serve and assist those who are less fortunate than us. Let us remember that whatever we do for the least of His people, we do it to Him.
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