Oh how I love to worked at Olinda! How I always motivated to woke up in the morning because I can't wait to meet those 6-8 years old kids! I dedicate this writing to my wonderful week in Taize on 31 July - 7 August 2011 (read more about this week here).
Things that I like about Olinda is, how they able to make a programme every week for every summer that can encourage the children to have fun! Of course they put some significance religious related to every activity since it's a religious community. But I just love how they put that into every activities that not always one-way lecture. I don't know with the other group or the older group like 8-11 years old and 12-14 years old. But at least in my group, we always have a lot of games and singing to energizes the kids. We realize that the kids on this certain age isn't able yet to absorb something abstract and boring-lecture-way. Yes, we take care the children while their parents wants to seek wellspring of life in Taize. So while the parents join the bible introduction which led by one of the Taize brothers, they let their children being taking care by us the young people.
Showing posts with label taize. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taize. Show all posts
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Sunday, 7 August 2011
A Week in Taize #9 - One Week!
Sunday, 7 August 2011
So apparently a week on the field in Taize is wonderful as well. It's such a different experience with my three months stay in Taize on 2008 so I can't really compare it. Stay longer in Taize is about to live in the community of 40-50 boys from different part of the globe. But a week in Taize is more a pilgrimage from an individual person who come to this small village.
Sleep in the barrack with the other 5-6 pilgrims, take a shower (sometimes cold shower) in a shower room for 10 people, queue in a big line for every meal with the other thousands young people, get a very simple food that makes you craving and miss your own food at back home, do a practical work that you never did before in your life just to make sure this place keep running properly, listening to the brother about the bible and share it in the small group, and of course pray 3x a day in the church.
I'm glad I decided to stay for a week in Taize so I can experience the "both side" of life in Taize. On this week, somehow I can feel how the work, the bible introduction, sharing group and meeting people, and the prayers are connected in a way. I get the "theory" of how to live a life in the bible introduction, then applied it on the practical work and meeting people, then bless for it on the common prayers. Seven days is short (for those who love Taize very much), but somehow I made this shortness became limitation. From that limitation, I can respect more every time that I spent on the hill. Even though I catch cold, sore throat, and lost my voice, but I want to live up every moment. It's like to stay up until the late of the night in the church and wake up early in the morning to join the morning prayer. Or to arrange carefully every free time that I have to meet old friends, new friends, or the brothers and sisters.
One interesting thing that happens today is, I don't feel sad at all when I have to say goodbye to my new friends. And even when I get on the bus then the bus left Taize. Maybe it's because I already proved that, IT IS POSSIBLE to meet my European friends whom I met in Taize again in the future. Oh yes, my one-month visitation in Europe proved it all, I met and visit some of my best friend whom I met in Taize three years ago. Even I have to wait for three years later, or even four, at least I know and I believe that I will meet again these new friends that I met in Taize this summer. The power of possibility! :D
So apparently a week on the field in Taize is wonderful as well. It's such a different experience with my three months stay in Taize on 2008 so I can't really compare it. Stay longer in Taize is about to live in the community of 40-50 boys from different part of the globe. But a week in Taize is more a pilgrimage from an individual person who come to this small village.
Sleep in the barrack with the other 5-6 pilgrims, take a shower (sometimes cold shower) in a shower room for 10 people, queue in a big line for every meal with the other thousands young people, get a very simple food that makes you craving and miss your own food at back home, do a practical work that you never did before in your life just to make sure this place keep running properly, listening to the brother about the bible and share it in the small group, and of course pray 3x a day in the church.
I'm glad I decided to stay for a week in Taize so I can experience the "both side" of life in Taize. On this week, somehow I can feel how the work, the bible introduction, sharing group and meeting people, and the prayers are connected in a way. I get the "theory" of how to live a life in the bible introduction, then applied it on the practical work and meeting people, then bless for it on the common prayers. Seven days is short (for those who love Taize very much), but somehow I made this shortness became limitation. From that limitation, I can respect more every time that I spent on the hill. Even though I catch cold, sore throat, and lost my voice, but I want to live up every moment. It's like to stay up until the late of the night in the church and wake up early in the morning to join the morning prayer. Or to arrange carefully every free time that I have to meet old friends, new friends, or the brothers and sisters.
One interesting thing that happens today is, I don't feel sad at all when I have to say goodbye to my new friends. And even when I get on the bus then the bus left Taize. Maybe it's because I already proved that, IT IS POSSIBLE to meet my European friends whom I met in Taize again in the future. Oh yes, my one-month visitation in Europe proved it all, I met and visit some of my best friend whom I met in Taize three years ago. Even I have to wait for three years later, or even four, at least I know and I believe that I will meet again these new friends that I met in Taize this summer. The power of possibility! :D
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| working team in Olinda |
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| small sharing group |
Saturday, 6 August 2011
A Week in Taize #8 - Celebration of Light
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Today is my last full day in Taize. So I experience already, a week in Taize like the most people do. I do feel that 7 days in Taize is really really short, or maybe it's because I experienced to stay in Taize for three months already. But I feel like I really respect every moment on these last 7 days. Never miss one single prayer, always go to the church earlier to get the best spot, queue for the meal earlier, stay up very late in the church to enjoy the songs, etc.
But the time isn't enough to meet all the people that I want to meet. Especially the old friends that I haven't seen for years and I know that they're in Taize at the moment. Also some brothers that I want to talk to. But really seems like I enjoy very much to meet new people and make new friends as well. Well these past few days, I can see how much time I spent to hang around with my new friends that I've met in the bible group and the working team in Olinda.
It's good thing that I arrived on Saturday last week so I can join the evening prayer with the "Celebration of Light" twice! Thus, I can bring two candles home :D Yes, every Saturday on the evening prayer, they will lit the candle in the end of the prayer to celebrate the resurrection of the Christ. The children who sit next to the prior of Taize Community, Br. Alois, will lit the candle in the first time then they will spread the light around the church. The beautiful thing to see is how the Church of Reconciliation slowly but sure began to lighten up by the candles. It's wonderful experience to be part and to see how the light spreading around the church, it's like when I'll back home I'll spread the light from Taize as well.
Today is my last full day in Taize. So I experience already, a week in Taize like the most people do. I do feel that 7 days in Taize is really really short, or maybe it's because I experienced to stay in Taize for three months already. But I feel like I really respect every moment on these last 7 days. Never miss one single prayer, always go to the church earlier to get the best spot, queue for the meal earlier, stay up very late in the church to enjoy the songs, etc.
But the time isn't enough to meet all the people that I want to meet. Especially the old friends that I haven't seen for years and I know that they're in Taize at the moment. Also some brothers that I want to talk to. But really seems like I enjoy very much to meet new people and make new friends as well. Well these past few days, I can see how much time I spent to hang around with my new friends that I've met in the bible group and the working team in Olinda.
It's good thing that I arrived on Saturday last week so I can join the evening prayer with the "Celebration of Light" twice! Thus, I can bring two candles home :D Yes, every Saturday on the evening prayer, they will lit the candle in the end of the prayer to celebrate the resurrection of the Christ. The children who sit next to the prior of Taize Community, Br. Alois, will lit the candle in the first time then they will spread the light around the church. The beautiful thing to see is how the Church of Reconciliation slowly but sure began to lighten up by the candles. It's wonderful experience to be part and to see how the light spreading around the church, it's like when I'll back home I'll spread the light from Taize as well.
Thursday, 4 August 2011
A Week in Taize #7 - Meal in Silence
Friday, 5 August 2011
Today we had midday meal on the field in silence to remember our brothers and sisters who died and suffer in Somalia. Imagine, 2700 young people on the field, having meal in total silence! And it worked very very well! It's really beautiful to be part of this phenomenon. Queued up in the line, receiving the simple meal, looking for a place to sit while looking around at Point 5, all just in silence!
I've heard that this silence meal on the field already happens the week before I came. Last week they had it to remember the victims of the attack in Norway. I don't know about the week before that, but I feel like this silence meal on the field can continue on weekly basis.
Well, silence is already the main part of life in Taize. Not only on every prayers, but the brothers (and those who stay longer) always have meal in silence every day. There's also a program for those who want to spend their week in Taize in silence. For those who stay longer, this week in silence (or a couple of days in silence) is common thing for them to take part.
For my self, silence itself is beautiful and such a rare thing to find in this modern world. Especially silence in context of spirituality. I found a really good analogy by one of the brother to describe it. In two-way communication between two people, one of them have to be in silence in order to listen the other one. Between us and God, if we're keep talking on and on, then how we can listen what God want to tell us?
It's really connected in a way with the evening prayer, because the end of the prayer, the cross of Taize will lied down on the floor. First, the brothers will pray around the cross, then they will invite people to pray around the cross as well. Most of the people put their forehead on the top of the cross. This way of pray symbolizes how we can give our burdens and weary to Jesus, and pray for it. Sometimes if I feel too much or overwhelmed with all the problems that I have and I don't know what to say, I just keep my self in silence and surrender my self.
Today we had midday meal on the field in silence to remember our brothers and sisters who died and suffer in Somalia. Imagine, 2700 young people on the field, having meal in total silence! And it worked very very well! It's really beautiful to be part of this phenomenon. Queued up in the line, receiving the simple meal, looking for a place to sit while looking around at Point 5, all just in silence!
I've heard that this silence meal on the field already happens the week before I came. Last week they had it to remember the victims of the attack in Norway. I don't know about the week before that, but I feel like this silence meal on the field can continue on weekly basis.
Well, silence is already the main part of life in Taize. Not only on every prayers, but the brothers (and those who stay longer) always have meal in silence every day. There's also a program for those who want to spend their week in Taize in silence. For those who stay longer, this week in silence (or a couple of days in silence) is common thing for them to take part.
For my self, silence itself is beautiful and such a rare thing to find in this modern world. Especially silence in context of spirituality. I found a really good analogy by one of the brother to describe it. In two-way communication between two people, one of them have to be in silence in order to listen the other one. Between us and God, if we're keep talking on and on, then how we can listen what God want to tell us?
It's really connected in a way with the evening prayer, because the end of the prayer, the cross of Taize will lied down on the floor. First, the brothers will pray around the cross, then they will invite people to pray around the cross as well. Most of the people put their forehead on the top of the cross. This way of pray symbolizes how we can give our burdens and weary to Jesus, and pray for it. Sometimes if I feel too much or overwhelmed with all the problems that I have and I don't know what to say, I just keep my self in silence and surrender my self.
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
A Week in Taize #6 - The Brothers
Thursday, 4 August 2011
I like to watch how the brothers enter the church when the prayer about to start. With their white robe with a very long sleeves until it covers their whole hands, they walk from the front of the church to their place. Then they kneel down, put their tabouret (prayer bench) on their feet, and ready to pray. Then one by one, the other brothers did the same thing until they filled the brothers' place in the middle of the main church.
I like to watch as well how they pray when the prayer started. Solemnly they look at the altar and sing each songs by heart without even looking at the song book. My favourite part is the silence, some of them they bow and put their forehead on the floor. Some of them just put their forehead on their knee, and some of them just keep staring at the beautiful altar. Overall, I'm amazed at these brothers. Maybe I'm not the biggest "fan" because I know there's many young people here also have the same feeling. But I fond them.
It's about how they run their community in this small village in France. How they always open their community's wall for the "outside world", especially for the young people. Since Br. Roger founded Taize Community until this second, they let another people from different part of the world to join their daily prayers, in their church! Even they build barracks, prepare wide open field for people from the "outside world" to stay in their small village.
They organize many things in a very systematic and simple way in order to welcome these thousands of young people who want to stay and pray with them. They didn't create such a movement to spread the Christianity through Europe. Among with the young people who come to their village, they're just doing the same thing they have in their community. They invite the young people to join their morning prayer, followed by breakfast, then bible introduction or practical work in the morning, stop for midday prayer followed by lunch. Then the afternoon continues by the bible introduction or practical work, then tea time. Then they have a supper and closed the day by evening prayer. It's a very simple daily routine, but all these young people just keep coming and coming every year, either because of loving the songs that used in every prayers, or for a thirst of looking for such a "Great Divine".
The beautiful thing is, the word about Taize is spreading around the globe. The prayers continued in different part of the globe using the same style just like the brothers do in Taize. Lucky for me, I found one Taize prayer in my own parish in Jakarta, back on 2004. And I just easily fall in love with the prayer's style, with the silence, the candles, and the repetition of the songs. If I didn't follow my friend's invitation to join the prayer on that time, maybe now I will not be sitting in the Church of Reconciliation in Taize at 11.30 pm to enjoy, pray, and sing the song.
I like to watch how the brothers enter the church when the prayer about to start. With their white robe with a very long sleeves until it covers their whole hands, they walk from the front of the church to their place. Then they kneel down, put their tabouret (prayer bench) on their feet, and ready to pray. Then one by one, the other brothers did the same thing until they filled the brothers' place in the middle of the main church.
I like to watch as well how they pray when the prayer started. Solemnly they look at the altar and sing each songs by heart without even looking at the song book. My favourite part is the silence, some of them they bow and put their forehead on the floor. Some of them just put their forehead on their knee, and some of them just keep staring at the beautiful altar. Overall, I'm amazed at these brothers. Maybe I'm not the biggest "fan" because I know there's many young people here also have the same feeling. But I fond them.
It's about how they run their community in this small village in France. How they always open their community's wall for the "outside world", especially for the young people. Since Br. Roger founded Taize Community until this second, they let another people from different part of the world to join their daily prayers, in their church! Even they build barracks, prepare wide open field for people from the "outside world" to stay in their small village.
They organize many things in a very systematic and simple way in order to welcome these thousands of young people who want to stay and pray with them. They didn't create such a movement to spread the Christianity through Europe. Among with the young people who come to their village, they're just doing the same thing they have in their community. They invite the young people to join their morning prayer, followed by breakfast, then bible introduction or practical work in the morning, stop for midday prayer followed by lunch. Then the afternoon continues by the bible introduction or practical work, then tea time. Then they have a supper and closed the day by evening prayer. It's a very simple daily routine, but all these young people just keep coming and coming every year, either because of loving the songs that used in every prayers, or for a thirst of looking for such a "Great Divine".
The beautiful thing is, the word about Taize is spreading around the globe. The prayers continued in different part of the globe using the same style just like the brothers do in Taize. Lucky for me, I found one Taize prayer in my own parish in Jakarta, back on 2004. And I just easily fall in love with the prayer's style, with the silence, the candles, and the repetition of the songs. If I didn't follow my friend's invitation to join the prayer on that time, maybe now I will not be sitting in the Church of Reconciliation in Taize at 11.30 pm to enjoy, pray, and sing the song.
A Week in Taize #5 - Losing Voice
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
So the highlight of today is, I lost my voice. Yes it's the middle of the week, I still have 4 more days in Taize, and I can't sing even once single song during every prayers! And even on the day that seems like they sing most of my favourite songs! Argh!
But this losing voice means something else; I'm having a great time in Olinda! So since I introduced the Maquentuetuetama to my small English group, my coordinator asked me to taught the song & dance to the big group as well, which is contain about 47 kids with 6 different languages. So today is my second day to lead the Maquentuetuetama in the big group, and I also taught a new game as well. Maybe I used the wrong technique to shout, instead of using diaphragm I used my throat. But at least I'm having fun with the kids!
I still like the meeting people in a long queue of the meal distribution thing. When I queued, I'm always afraid of end up being alone to have my meal. But apparently it never happens! In the beginning usually I just by myself and pick the shortest line. But soon I get in the middle of the queue, there's always some people poke or call me, then we had a conversation in the queue and I had my meal with them. So I think this is one of the positive thing of coming to Taize by my self and stay in the field.
Oh another nostalgic moment. I joined the workshop about "How to Share a Life with the Moslem Believers". Three years ago, I was one of the people who share the experiences, and now I'm happy enough to sit as the participant and listen to their experiences. The other good thing is, I know this workshop didn't happen every week, but it happens on the week when I came! What a chance, what a destiny!
So the highlight of today is, I lost my voice. Yes it's the middle of the week, I still have 4 more days in Taize, and I can't sing even once single song during every prayers! And even on the day that seems like they sing most of my favourite songs! Argh!
But this losing voice means something else; I'm having a great time in Olinda! So since I introduced the Maquentuetuetama to my small English group, my coordinator asked me to taught the song & dance to the big group as well, which is contain about 47 kids with 6 different languages. So today is my second day to lead the Maquentuetuetama in the big group, and I also taught a new game as well. Maybe I used the wrong technique to shout, instead of using diaphragm I used my throat. But at least I'm having fun with the kids!
I still like the meeting people in a long queue of the meal distribution thing. When I queued, I'm always afraid of end up being alone to have my meal. But apparently it never happens! In the beginning usually I just by myself and pick the shortest line. But soon I get in the middle of the queue, there's always some people poke or call me, then we had a conversation in the queue and I had my meal with them. So I think this is one of the positive thing of coming to Taize by my self and stay in the field.
Oh another nostalgic moment. I joined the workshop about "How to Share a Life with the Moslem Believers". Three years ago, I was one of the people who share the experiences, and now I'm happy enough to sit as the participant and listen to their experiences. The other good thing is, I know this workshop didn't happen every week, but it happens on the week when I came! What a chance, what a destiny!
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
A Week in Taize #4 - Meeting People
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Taize is the perfect place to meet people and make friends. Since Saturday until today, I have many of surprise meeting with some friends that I've met in Taize 3 years ago. With some friends, we already knew via FB that we will meet in Taize. But this surprise meetings occurs whenever and wherever the destiny wants, especially on the long queue for the meal.
Seems like every time I queued in the line for every meal (and I'm alone), I always met people and made friends. It happens in a very simple way; eye contact and smile. The universal pick-up line is "where are you come from?" is always work. The conversation even more become interesting after I said "I'm from Indonesia" and usually this statement raised another question. Even they're more surprise knowing the fact that I stay in Taize only for a week, but later on I have to explain the story behind it ;p
The other good thing is, if I already visited some European countries and I met people from that country, then I can share my experiences and my point of view about their countries. Such as today's evening meal in the line I met Romanian girls and they're quite surprised that I visited Romania two weeks ago. They even more surprised when I showed off some Romanian vocabularies which I learned. Yes, even for the Romanian themselves, they're quite surprised if there's someone visit their country because usually Romania isn't the "main destination" for vacation. So with this, I even more proud that I already visited this beautiful country.
My other highlight meeting is, there's this German guy whom I met in Cadole on summer 2008. That time he came to Taize with his 15 years old girl friend and they only stay for a week. We worked together collecting rubbish outside Taize. Me and my Argentinian friend on that time didn't believe that this 15 years old girl is actually 15 years old because she's quite tall. After they left Taize, we lost contact. Until a couple of days before I came to Taize, my Argentinian friend mentioned me on his comment on a photo of this "15 years old girl". Then this German guy somehow managed to found me on FB and added me as friend. Yesterday when I was queueing in a long distribution line for evening meal along with the other 2700 young people, a guy next to my right poke me and gave me a have-I-met-you-before look. Then I just greet him, "Have we meet each other before?", "Yes", "2008?", "Yes", "Tilleul?", "No", "Neva?","No", "Hm?", "The 15 years old girl?", "WHAAT?? You just added me as a friend on FB a week ago!". Ahahaha indeed the destiny has a good taste of humour.
Taize is the perfect place to meet people and make friends. Since Saturday until today, I have many of surprise meeting with some friends that I've met in Taize 3 years ago. With some friends, we already knew via FB that we will meet in Taize. But this surprise meetings occurs whenever and wherever the destiny wants, especially on the long queue for the meal.
Seems like every time I queued in the line for every meal (and I'm alone), I always met people and made friends. It happens in a very simple way; eye contact and smile. The universal pick-up line is "where are you come from?" is always work. The conversation even more become interesting after I said "I'm from Indonesia" and usually this statement raised another question. Even they're more surprise knowing the fact that I stay in Taize only for a week, but later on I have to explain the story behind it ;p
The other good thing is, if I already visited some European countries and I met people from that country, then I can share my experiences and my point of view about their countries. Such as today's evening meal in the line I met Romanian girls and they're quite surprised that I visited Romania two weeks ago. They even more surprised when I showed off some Romanian vocabularies which I learned. Yes, even for the Romanian themselves, they're quite surprised if there's someone visit their country because usually Romania isn't the "main destination" for vacation. So with this, I even more proud that I already visited this beautiful country.
My other highlight meeting is, there's this German guy whom I met in Cadole on summer 2008. That time he came to Taize with his 15 years old girl friend and they only stay for a week. We worked together collecting rubbish outside Taize. Me and my Argentinian friend on that time didn't believe that this 15 years old girl is actually 15 years old because she's quite tall. After they left Taize, we lost contact. Until a couple of days before I came to Taize, my Argentinian friend mentioned me on his comment on a photo of this "15 years old girl". Then this German guy somehow managed to found me on FB and added me as friend. Yesterday when I was queueing in a long distribution line for evening meal along with the other 2700 young people, a guy next to my right poke me and gave me a have-I-met-you-before look. Then I just greet him, "Have we meet each other before?", "Yes", "2008?", "Yes", "Tilleul?", "No", "Neva?","No", "Hm?", "The 15 years old girl?", "WHAAT?? You just added me as a friend on FB a week ago!". Ahahaha indeed the destiny has a good taste of humour.
Monday, 1 August 2011
A Week in Taize #3 - Good Start
Monday, 1 August 2011
So eventually I had a good Sunday! The First Welcome job made me have to move on from the old memories. I did this job before to welcome adults but this time I have to welcome young people particularly from Scandinavia. This job is really fit for me on Sunday to made me to be able to welcome new young people, and not to cling to my old friends. The other good thing is, I work with the working team as well so I can do a tricky thing to get the job that I wanted so much. Three months in Taize on summer 2008 I experienced the job in all places in Taize except one; OLINDA, a place for the kids. So from the working team, I know where the rendezvous for Olinda Work Team. I came there and eventually I've got a place as an animator for the 6-8 years old kids! Yeay!
Today is such a great day to start the week. The big group of Olinda is coordinated with an English girl (I love English accent!) and the small group of English speaker contains 4 kids; 3 English kids and 1 Czech kid. It's a pity that we don't have Czech animator, but hey language isn't a barrier to communicate. Eventually it worked out with my only one Czech word that I know (dobře). Also there's one Dutch boy who is very shy but quite talkative on one-on-one, so I just tease him and carry him all around the field. Special tribute to Pedro Sandoval from El Salvador, I taught this small group how to sing and dance the infamous Taize song of 2008, Maquentuetuetama.
The bible introduction and the small sharing group in the afternoon is even more wonderful. I came to Point M by my self and a bit afraid if I get a not nice small sharing group, such as with teenagers. But apparently the brother divide the big group according to age, so I get a group of older than 25 years old (which is this age group doesn't suppose to work ;p). And I love my group already! They're mature and deep thinkers, so we had serious discussion on heavy topic. We just started the discussion with one question from the paper and our discussion just goes with the flow.
So eventually I had a good Sunday! The First Welcome job made me have to move on from the old memories. I did this job before to welcome adults but this time I have to welcome young people particularly from Scandinavia. This job is really fit for me on Sunday to made me to be able to welcome new young people, and not to cling to my old friends. The other good thing is, I work with the working team as well so I can do a tricky thing to get the job that I wanted so much. Three months in Taize on summer 2008 I experienced the job in all places in Taize except one; OLINDA, a place for the kids. So from the working team, I know where the rendezvous for Olinda Work Team. I came there and eventually I've got a place as an animator for the 6-8 years old kids! Yeay!
Today is such a great day to start the week. The big group of Olinda is coordinated with an English girl (I love English accent!) and the small group of English speaker contains 4 kids; 3 English kids and 1 Czech kid. It's a pity that we don't have Czech animator, but hey language isn't a barrier to communicate. Eventually it worked out with my only one Czech word that I know (dobře). Also there's one Dutch boy who is very shy but quite talkative on one-on-one, so I just tease him and carry him all around the field. Special tribute to Pedro Sandoval from El Salvador, I taught this small group how to sing and dance the infamous Taize song of 2008, Maquentuetuetama.
The bible introduction and the small sharing group in the afternoon is even more wonderful. I came to Point M by my self and a bit afraid if I get a not nice small sharing group, such as with teenagers. But apparently the brother divide the big group according to age, so I get a group of older than 25 years old (which is this age group doesn't suppose to work ;p). And I love my group already! They're mature and deep thinkers, so we had serious discussion on heavy topic. We just started the discussion with one question from the paper and our discussion just goes with the flow.
Sunday, 31 July 2011
A Week in Taize #2 - Memories
Sunday, 31 July 2011
This is why I came on Saturday, so I can join the mass as many as possible. And I don't know why, the mass this morning feels so emotional for me.
It's not a bad thing to come to Taize by yourself, because you will meet millions of nice people in this wonderful place. Even on 2008 I came and started my stay by myself. But coming back to Taize after 3 years, I have to struggle with the memories that I have. During those 3 years after Taize on 2008, the memories on that summer remains alive. Coming back to Taize this week, those memories even more live and has shapes; such as places. Every time I passed the Big Kitchen, "oh I worked there!", Point 5 "we had a good times after evening prayers with the other permanents", and so on. The significant memories is for sure, the Church of Reconciliation.
The Church of Reconciliation for sure is the main part of the life in Taize. Whatever you do and wherever you are, if you hear the bells ringing, then you have to stop your activity and go to the church to pray. Particularly in this church, is the only place where you can be together with everyone who stay in Taize. It's not only about if you're looking for some spot to sit then you meet someone you know and greet them, but also to sing and pray together with them.
It's nice to experience to sing Taize songs with the other thousands young people once more. But for me, some particular songs has its memories. Especially if I sing it inside the Church of Reconciliation. Such as I know this song is someone's favourite. On 2008, every time we sing someone's favourite song, I always looked up on that person, watching how joyfully he/she sing the song. Or sometimes we made an eye contact and smiled to each other. But this morning, when we sang Cantarei Ao Senhor, I tried to look for one of my friend, but he's not here! Or when we sang Gloria Deo, those faces at Tilleul suddenly came up in my mind, but they're not at the reserve place!
Those memories came even more strong when we sing the Our Father, we used to holding hands together. So on the mass this morning, I can't finish the Our Father otherwise I will burst into tears. After that, I nearly can't finish every song that we sang. But eventually my defence broke down. In addition of the feeling of " I can't believe I'm in Taize now", on the song after the communion - Benedictus Qui Venit - I can't hold on my tears any more. So dear my friends whom I met in Taize on summer 2008, those who come from Europe and the other continents, I remember all of you. I remember each your name and your face, every time I sing a song in Taize this week. Even though it will made me can't finish each song, but I pray for you.
This is why I came on Saturday, so I can join the mass as many as possible. And I don't know why, the mass this morning feels so emotional for me.
It's not a bad thing to come to Taize by yourself, because you will meet millions of nice people in this wonderful place. Even on 2008 I came and started my stay by myself. But coming back to Taize after 3 years, I have to struggle with the memories that I have. During those 3 years after Taize on 2008, the memories on that summer remains alive. Coming back to Taize this week, those memories even more live and has shapes; such as places. Every time I passed the Big Kitchen, "oh I worked there!", Point 5 "we had a good times after evening prayers with the other permanents", and so on. The significant memories is for sure, the Church of Reconciliation.
The Church of Reconciliation for sure is the main part of the life in Taize. Whatever you do and wherever you are, if you hear the bells ringing, then you have to stop your activity and go to the church to pray. Particularly in this church, is the only place where you can be together with everyone who stay in Taize. It's not only about if you're looking for some spot to sit then you meet someone you know and greet them, but also to sing and pray together with them.
It's nice to experience to sing Taize songs with the other thousands young people once more. But for me, some particular songs has its memories. Especially if I sing it inside the Church of Reconciliation. Such as I know this song is someone's favourite. On 2008, every time we sing someone's favourite song, I always looked up on that person, watching how joyfully he/she sing the song. Or sometimes we made an eye contact and smiled to each other. But this morning, when we sang Cantarei Ao Senhor, I tried to look for one of my friend, but he's not here! Or when we sang Gloria Deo, those faces at Tilleul suddenly came up in my mind, but they're not at the reserve place!
Those memories came even more strong when we sing the Our Father, we used to holding hands together. So on the mass this morning, I can't finish the Our Father otherwise I will burst into tears. After that, I nearly can't finish every song that we sang. But eventually my defence broke down. In addition of the feeling of " I can't believe I'm in Taize now", on the song after the communion - Benedictus Qui Venit - I can't hold on my tears any more. So dear my friends whom I met in Taize on summer 2008, those who come from Europe and the other continents, I remember all of you. I remember each your name and your face, every time I sing a song in Taize this week. Even though it will made me can't finish each song, but I pray for you.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
A Week in Taize #1 - I'm Back!
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Today is a wonderful day. Or maybe I should write everyday is a wonderful day. But particularly today, because today is a very very special day for me. I'm going back to the place where all this thing started; Taize! Oh yes, all the things that happened to me on these past 3 years; Manila, Glasgow, and my decision to become a social worker. It's all began in Taize on summer 2008.
It's a long long way to get back here. Saving money while I was working in Glasgow, then all the way through Germany, Romania, and Italy. Started the journey by train on 07.05 am from Milano Centrale - Ventimiglia, - Nice - Avignon - Lyon Part Dieu - Macon Ville, then continued by a local bus from Macon Ville to this small village.
Soon I got off from the bus, I can see my self smile very wide seeing those young people was taking their supper in the field. Today's menu is pasta! And then, that moment which I've been waited and dreamed for these last 3 years eventually came up; see the bell of Taize! Ahahaha oh my God, oh my God! Seeing Casa, La Morada, people queueing up in the Big Kitchen. I AM IN TAIZE ONCE AGAIN! :D
The evening prayer just beautiful! Slava Tiebe Boze, Magnificat 3, In Ressurectione Tua Christe, La Tenebre, and with the candle! For me, being back in the Church of Reconciliation was just extraordinary experience. In these past 3 years, because I have such a strong feeling to go back to Taize once more, every time I sing Taize song and close my eyes, suddenly I feel like I'm inside the Church of Reconciliation. But now I'm totally and realistically inside this beautiful church! I don't know but somehow I feel that the roof is getting lower and the church has several new doors? Haha.
Another crazy things also happened. I was so afraid I can't met some of my friends that I already know in advance that they're in Taize on the same week with me. But somehow, destiny wants me to meet them all in one day! Even friends that I didn't expected to meet, and our last meeting is three years ago! It's just wonderful wonderful!
Today is a wonderful day. Or maybe I should write everyday is a wonderful day. But particularly today, because today is a very very special day for me. I'm going back to the place where all this thing started; Taize! Oh yes, all the things that happened to me on these past 3 years; Manila, Glasgow, and my decision to become a social worker. It's all began in Taize on summer 2008.
It's a long long way to get back here. Saving money while I was working in Glasgow, then all the way through Germany, Romania, and Italy. Started the journey by train on 07.05 am from Milano Centrale - Ventimiglia, - Nice - Avignon - Lyon Part Dieu - Macon Ville, then continued by a local bus from Macon Ville to this small village.
Soon I got off from the bus, I can see my self smile very wide seeing those young people was taking their supper in the field. Today's menu is pasta! And then, that moment which I've been waited and dreamed for these last 3 years eventually came up; see the bell of Taize! Ahahaha oh my God, oh my God! Seeing Casa, La Morada, people queueing up in the Big Kitchen. I AM IN TAIZE ONCE AGAIN! :D
The evening prayer just beautiful! Slava Tiebe Boze, Magnificat 3, In Ressurectione Tua Christe, La Tenebre, and with the candle! For me, being back in the Church of Reconciliation was just extraordinary experience. In these past 3 years, because I have such a strong feeling to go back to Taize once more, every time I sing Taize song and close my eyes, suddenly I feel like I'm inside the Church of Reconciliation. But now I'm totally and realistically inside this beautiful church! I don't know but somehow I feel that the roof is getting lower and the church has several new doors? Haha.
Another crazy things also happened. I was so afraid I can't met some of my friends that I already know in advance that they're in Taize on the same week with me. But somehow, destiny wants me to meet them all in one day! Even friends that I didn't expected to meet, and our last meeting is three years ago! It's just wonderful wonderful!
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Taize Rotterdam Day 3: It's Destiny
Thursday, 30 December 2010
On this third day, somehow i still can't believe that i made it to my very first European Meeting. A very complicated way to prepare my pilgrimage; start with saving money, a complicated visa application, then find the cheapest transportation. But anyway, i'm already here! So i have to seize the day!
This morning is like the other morning, start with morning prayer then a small discussion group. Today's discussion is about compassion and how we can care about each other, especially strangers. For me i just share about my experience doing social work for the homeless people in Glasgow. The interesting part is when everyone start to share what do they think and feel about this question. I have to say, this second day is easier to encourage them to share something. But this one girl when she starts to share, quite struck me because she's really honest about her feeling. I mean, this is the only the second time we have a sharing group and we still don't know each other so well but she seems to put a lot of trust for us so she can share such a deep feeling. It's so deep until she has to stop for every 4-5 words to hold her breath. We're just keep in silence to let her finish, and i was hoping that she can hold her tears.
When the discussion is getting more and more interesting, then i realize that this is the time when i should leave for my work. Oh how i feel bad and dissapointed at the moment! Because i just start to enjoy the discussion and i have to leave! But i don't want to miss the work as well because i like my work. So on the way to Ahoy, i was thinking to myself what should i do for tomorrow. I mean, one of the important thing about this meeting is the sharing group; how we share about something to another people that we've never met before. And i always like the sharing group in every Taize meeting because it always enrich me in a way. Then i think, about work, well in Glasgow i also do some practical work so it's not something new and rare for me. So maybe for tomorrow i'll just skip my work and stay in the sharing group until the end. Ok then, good point!
After took our earlier-lunch, we were going to our positions. Because yesterday i already hold the string, so today i'll try to become a "striker"; who direct the people to some empty space in the end of the line. Seems interesting and more energetic!
The first corner was easy, then we move forward a little bit. Later on i start to find the shape of how to direct people to some empty space for them to have a sit; greet with smile then direct them to some particular spot. So far i know, every work in Taize is important to smile at all time. Not a fake one, but an honest one :D
After we filled about 3 columns, then i feel bored about what i always said to greet and direct them so i think i have to find another sentences to make it more fun. Then improvisely, i acted as an usher in a five-star restaurant who greet the customer whom already book a VIP table in advance and lead them to their "table" by saying such things like, "Good morning sir! We're already expecting you! We already prepared a special place as you ordered before. Please follow me." I did this to some groups and especially those who came in a couple. Surprisingly, most of them "respond" my act and start to pretend that they're really in a five-star restaurant. Some of them even made an order, or ask to light the candles on their table. Then one of the team saw my act and joined me so our restaurant becomes more elite than before! Ahahaha it's so much fun!
Well of course i can't serve everyone who come because the later it gets, more and more people are coming. So i just serve some people or group in random. In the middle of this customers' invasion, i saw one familiar face belong to one tall guy. With a confidence, i call his name. Luckily he responded so i don't have to be embarrassed. Then i introduced myself in case he forgot who i am and we had a quick conversation.
After the hall is quite full, our coordinator called us to have a short break because we have to prepare our voice to have the repetitive-singing of our song. This time, i feel like we have to make some gesture to made us more visible and eye-catching while we sing our song. So i made this hand gesture to our left and right, and quickly the rest of the team use the gesture until we stopped our singing. Just like the other day, there's many people who stunned and start to take pictures or video of our "performance". Yeah at least we made their day! Good job, guys!
When the beautiful midday prayer ended, i teamed up with a Dutch friend whom i've met yesterday in the L'Arche' workshop to go to today's workshop. Just like the other day, there's a lot of interesting workshop that i want to attend. But later on i decided to come to this workshop; about the life of the sisters of Missionaries of Charity. Wow, i didn't expect before that they have community here in Netherlands. I'm always fond them a lot and that's why i gave some couple of days to volunteering in their community while i was staying in Manila. So to meet and listen their sharing about their life here in the Netherlands will be another experiences for me.
As always, on of the interesting part of going to a workshop is to get lost and find a way in a strange city. Luckily this time i'm with my new friend so i have someone to talk to. Apparently, it's not that difficult to find this parish which hosts the workshop because there's many people who going to the same direction. Surprisingly, there's a lot of people who interested in this workshop; i can see how all the benches inside the church are occupied. Later on, the sharing was divided into several groups so the sisters don't have to share in a large group. I'm glad that i decided to come on this workshop because on my group, the mother superior of the community in Rotterdam herself who share about her life in the community. Wow, what an honour!
The sharing and the workshop itself ends with an interesting Q&A session. When we walked out the church, some guy approached me and said
He: Excuse me, are you from Indonesia?
Me: (surprised, feels like i'm the only Asian here ;p) Uhm, yes.
He: Oh so i was right! Do you remember, we've met before.
Me: Hm?
He: Yes we've met before back in your country, in Indonesia.
Me: Really??
He: Yes, we've met in an Indonesian restaurant. Do you remember?
Me: ?????
He: Along with your friends, which is one of them is my friend whom will get married at that time.
Me: ..... OH!
He: Do you remember?
Me: OH! OH! She's INGE! Yes she's already married now!
He: Yes yes Inge!
Me: OH! OH! OH MY GOD! Now i remember! I REMEMBER YOU!
He: *smiled*
Me: OH! OH! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!!! *jumping around* OH MY GOODNESS! YES! Even we seated in one table! Even you sat next to me!! OH MY GOD!! NOW I REMEMBER!!! WOW! WOOOOWHHH! How come did you ended up here? AH BECAUSE YOU'RE FROM THIS COUNTRY!!! NOW I REMEMBER! OH MY GOD!!! But i forgot your name, i'm Timo by the way...
He: Ah Timo, yes! I'm Michael! I'm so glad to see you here!
Me: Me too! It was around one year ago isn't??
He: Yes it's true! It's amazing isn't?? I didn't expect to see you here and now. And also there's a lot of workshops today and thirty thousands young people, i choose this workshop and i met you! It's like destiny!
For me, it's really really surprising! Maybe i feel like the Polish on yesterday when i surprised her. It's really amazing how life works! I mean, our first meeting one year ago back in Indonesia is only a very short meeting, maybe less than an hour. But somehow he recognized me in a way, well maybe i'm the only Indonesian in that workshop or i don't know. But still, this accidental reunion is the most amazing experience i have during the meeting! Then we spent our journey back to Ahoy by memorize what happens about one year ago on our first meeting and catching up each other stories.
Apparently, my reunion of the day didn't stop there. When we were taking our supper, i see a group of young people in one spot which each of their faces is really familiar to me. Then i leave my meal, approached them, and made a silent-screaming complete with the gesture. Then they just turned crazy! Start to hug me really really tight until they lift me up since they taller than me. Yeaaaaaay!
After a very nice conversation with them, we finished our supper and headed to the prayer hall. Because this evening prayer will be the last in the meeting so i want to sit as close as possible to Br. Alois because i'm sure tonight he will announce where the next meeting will take place.
In the end of the prayer, as usual he gave the meditation about forgiveness which we will discuss about it on tomorrow's sharing group. Later on he announced where the next European Meeting will take place which is not so surprising anymore since many many people already know about it. Then as i didn't expected before, he also announced the next meeting in another continent that will be held on November 2012. Now this one is surprising because not so many people knew about this before.
After the prayer, i decided to meet another Indonesian friend whom i knew but never met before. It's quite interesting because our only contact before this meeting is only commenting our friend photo. Then i knew that he came for the meeting just a night before when our friend tweeted and mentioned our name. Then i met him. Not only him but also with my other old-friends!
Then i went to the pub with them and had a very nice conversation with one of my friend until late in the evening. What a nice and a different way to end my day!
On this third day, somehow i still can't believe that i made it to my very first European Meeting. A very complicated way to prepare my pilgrimage; start with saving money, a complicated visa application, then find the cheapest transportation. But anyway, i'm already here! So i have to seize the day!
This morning is like the other morning, start with morning prayer then a small discussion group. Today's discussion is about compassion and how we can care about each other, especially strangers. For me i just share about my experience doing social work for the homeless people in Glasgow. The interesting part is when everyone start to share what do they think and feel about this question. I have to say, this second day is easier to encourage them to share something. But this one girl when she starts to share, quite struck me because she's really honest about her feeling. I mean, this is the only the second time we have a sharing group and we still don't know each other so well but she seems to put a lot of trust for us so she can share such a deep feeling. It's so deep until she has to stop for every 4-5 words to hold her breath. We're just keep in silence to let her finish, and i was hoping that she can hold her tears.
When the discussion is getting more and more interesting, then i realize that this is the time when i should leave for my work. Oh how i feel bad and dissapointed at the moment! Because i just start to enjoy the discussion and i have to leave! But i don't want to miss the work as well because i like my work. So on the way to Ahoy, i was thinking to myself what should i do for tomorrow. I mean, one of the important thing about this meeting is the sharing group; how we share about something to another people that we've never met before. And i always like the sharing group in every Taize meeting because it always enrich me in a way. Then i think, about work, well in Glasgow i also do some practical work so it's not something new and rare for me. So maybe for tomorrow i'll just skip my work and stay in the sharing group until the end. Ok then, good point!
The first corner was easy, then we move forward a little bit. Later on i start to find the shape of how to direct people to some empty space for them to have a sit; greet with smile then direct them to some particular spot. So far i know, every work in Taize is important to smile at all time. Not a fake one, but an honest one :D
After we filled about 3 columns, then i feel bored about what i always said to greet and direct them so i think i have to find another sentences to make it more fun. Then improvisely, i acted as an usher in a five-star restaurant who greet the customer whom already book a VIP table in advance and lead them to their "table" by saying such things like, "Good morning sir! We're already expecting you! We already prepared a special place as you ordered before. Please follow me." I did this to some groups and especially those who came in a couple. Surprisingly, most of them "respond" my act and start to pretend that they're really in a five-star restaurant. Some of them even made an order, or ask to light the candles on their table. Then one of the team saw my act and joined me so our restaurant becomes more elite than before! Ahahaha it's so much fun!
Well of course i can't serve everyone who come because the later it gets, more and more people are coming. So i just serve some people or group in random. In the middle of this customers' invasion, i saw one familiar face belong to one tall guy. With a confidence, i call his name. Luckily he responded so i don't have to be embarrassed. Then i introduced myself in case he forgot who i am and we had a quick conversation.
After the hall is quite full, our coordinator called us to have a short break because we have to prepare our voice to have the repetitive-singing of our song. This time, i feel like we have to make some gesture to made us more visible and eye-catching while we sing our song. So i made this hand gesture to our left and right, and quickly the rest of the team use the gesture until we stopped our singing. Just like the other day, there's many people who stunned and start to take pictures or video of our "performance". Yeah at least we made their day! Good job, guys!
As always, on of the interesting part of going to a workshop is to get lost and find a way in a strange city. Luckily this time i'm with my new friend so i have someone to talk to. Apparently, it's not that difficult to find this parish which hosts the workshop because there's many people who going to the same direction. Surprisingly, there's a lot of people who interested in this workshop; i can see how all the benches inside the church are occupied. Later on, the sharing was divided into several groups so the sisters don't have to share in a large group. I'm glad that i decided to come on this workshop because on my group, the mother superior of the community in Rotterdam herself who share about her life in the community. Wow, what an honour!
The sharing and the workshop itself ends with an interesting Q&A session. When we walked out the church, some guy approached me and said
He: Excuse me, are you from Indonesia?
Me: (surprised, feels like i'm the only Asian here ;p) Uhm, yes.
He: Oh so i was right! Do you remember, we've met before.
Me: Hm?
He: Yes we've met before back in your country, in Indonesia.
Me: Really??
He: Yes, we've met in an Indonesian restaurant. Do you remember?
Me: ?????
He: Along with your friends, which is one of them is my friend whom will get married at that time.
Me: ..... OH!
He: Do you remember?
Me: OH! OH! She's INGE! Yes she's already married now!
He: Yes yes Inge!
Me: OH! OH! OH MY GOD! Now i remember! I REMEMBER YOU!
He: *smiled*
Me: OH! OH! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!!! *jumping around* OH MY GOODNESS! YES! Even we seated in one table! Even you sat next to me!! OH MY GOD!! NOW I REMEMBER!!! WOW! WOOOOWHHH! How come did you ended up here? AH BECAUSE YOU'RE FROM THIS COUNTRY!!! NOW I REMEMBER! OH MY GOD!!! But i forgot your name, i'm Timo by the way...
He: Ah Timo, yes! I'm Michael! I'm so glad to see you here!
Me: Me too! It was around one year ago isn't??
He: Yes it's true! It's amazing isn't?? I didn't expect to see you here and now. And also there's a lot of workshops today and thirty thousands young people, i choose this workshop and i met you! It's like destiny!
For me, it's really really surprising! Maybe i feel like the Polish on yesterday when i surprised her. It's really amazing how life works! I mean, our first meeting one year ago back in Indonesia is only a very short meeting, maybe less than an hour. But somehow he recognized me in a way, well maybe i'm the only Indonesian in that workshop or i don't know. But still, this accidental reunion is the most amazing experience i have during the meeting! Then we spent our journey back to Ahoy by memorize what happens about one year ago on our first meeting and catching up each other stories.
Apparently, my reunion of the day didn't stop there. When we were taking our supper, i see a group of young people in one spot which each of their faces is really familiar to me. Then i leave my meal, approached them, and made a silent-screaming complete with the gesture. Then they just turned crazy! Start to hug me really really tight until they lift me up since they taller than me. Yeaaaaaay!
After a very nice conversation with them, we finished our supper and headed to the prayer hall. Because this evening prayer will be the last in the meeting so i want to sit as close as possible to Br. Alois because i'm sure tonight he will announce where the next meeting will take place.
After the prayer, i decided to meet another Indonesian friend whom i knew but never met before. It's quite interesting because our only contact before this meeting is only commenting our friend photo. Then i knew that he came for the meeting just a night before when our friend tweeted and mentioned our name. Then i met him. Not only him but also with my other old-friends!
Then i went to the pub with them and had a very nice conversation with one of my friend until late in the evening. What a nice and a different way to end my day!
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Taize Rotterdam Day 2: Reunited
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
I woke up quite late in the morning, had a quick shower and quick breakfast, me and my house/pilgrim-mate headed to our host church which is only 10 minutes of walk. We thought we already late for the morning prayer but apparently the prayer hadn't been started yet. When i was looking for a nice seat for me, accidentally my eyes dragged into one girl with typical and familiar hair and scarf. Apparently that girl also saw my coming, so we ran and hugged each other really really tight! It's the German girl whom i've met before in Manila ten months ago and in Manchester about two months ago. We already contacted each other about going and meet each other in Rotterdam, but we really surprised that we stay together in one host church! What a life! Then she told me that she's gonna be in the same discussion group with me. Wow!
After the beautiful morning prayer, which is i have to lead the singing and Our Father, there's one English guy came to me. Interesting what he said to me, "Hey, i know you. You're the Indonesian boy, right? Do you remember, we stayed together in the silence house during my time in Taize on 2008. But it's funny because i never heard your voice until now, of course because at that time we were in silence". Haha! What an interesting "pick-up" lines! Interesting isn't, how Taize connected people in such a way! Then we introduced our names and catching up about how we ended up here.
Being an animator for the discussion group isn't a new thing for me, since i've been an animator on my first week and an animator for the 15-16 years old group as one of my job in Taize. But it's two and a half years ago! Really, at this time i feel very nervous. Don't know exactly what to say so i just let it flow. If the people in the group quite easy to share then it made me easier, but this is the first day so i have to break the ice. I just think if i want to share something then more or less i have to know about this person. So i made a brief introduction not only about name and nationality but also how many European Meeting already been attended, already been in Taize or not, and such thing like that. The problem is, my work for the entire meeting in Ahoy is circulation team for the midday meal distribution so on the half of the discussion i have to leave earlier. Apparently i'm not the only one in the group who have to leave earlier, but almost half of the group! I don't know if i have to feel happy because i have companions or i have to feel bad because now the group gets smaller.
Anyway, i'm not the only one from my host church who work for the circulation midday meal distribution but also the other Britons! Yeay! Maybe it's just because we were together during our welcoming in the first day. While waiting for our briefing by our coordinator, quickly we joined the Portuguese group to play some game such as "Coboy Game" which is really really fun!
But then i see one familiar girl who holding the big sign of coordinator's name. I ran and hide to her to make sure she didn't realize about my coming. After quite close then i accelerate my run and stop exact in front of her and gave her a very very big smile! Her reaction was totally unpredictable; she threw up her big sign, holding her head with both of her hands showing a seeing-a-ghost expression, and moving backward like she didn't believe that it is real. After 5 seconds of the-most-surprising-moment, we hugged each other really really tight. Not only one, not only twice, but thrice! During my work as a coordinator for breakfast and tea team in Taize, this Polish girl the coordinator of the small washing up in the big kitchen which is we have to work together in one roof everyday in one week. And that week we really had so much fun, especially during the business of the meal distribution. I don't think she knew before about my coming to Rotterdam even i already posted it in facebook, since her expression is really really shocking :D
Get a very quick briefing by our coordinator, we headed to our kingdom, the biggest meal hall; Hall 6. As i expected before, we get our lunch before the other pilgrims because when the pilgrims get their lunch then we have to work really hard!
After a quick-unfinished lunch, we have to be in positions. Accidentally, i get the position as the string holder; to make a human-string rail to circulate people in particular directions. The idea is to fill the hall in a very corner then go forward and so on. Well, at the first time i thought that what a silly job; just to hold the string and make a way for the people. But later on, i realize that this kind of job is a very important to make sure there will be enough space for the pilgrims to sit on the floor and take their lunch. If there's no circulation team, then people can take a sit everywhere in the hall and there will be not enough space for about something-thousands young people to take their lunch nicely on the floor. So yeah, sometimes some job might a bit silly but if you understand the basic idea then you might think in a different way about your job. It's all about perspective, isn't? ;p
Quickly i found out about what's the most fun part about this holding-string job; greeting people with a warm smile and saying "enjoy your meal" in every language as long as i can remember it. Worked in the big kitchen in Taize last 2008 made me learn about how to say "enjoy your meal" in several language. But now i only remember it in French, Spanish, and Italian so i have to refresh my memories. The good thing of doing this to every person that passed me is to see their reactions; many of them smiled, some of them laughed, and some of them greeted back to me in their own language. So i think i made their lunch time a bit different. Another good thing being the "circulator" plus "greeter" is you can see everyone's faces, includes your dear-old friends! Like this afternoon, i found my three dear-old friends already! Yeay!
Then i found out that being a circulator team isn't only about to circulate people in, but also to "circulate" people out! Yes, 15 minutes to the midday prayer, we invite the people to finish the lunch and go to the prayer halls. Usually, the team just telling the people but the Italian group in our team has different idea; to SING!
Seeing several (crazy) young people to sing and dance and walk around the hall, instead of leaving the hall, they became more attracted to stay in the hall to take a photo and watch us marching around the hall. It's so much FUN!
After the midday prayer finish, me and my two British friends decided to stay longer in the hall because we want to look and meet a friend of us. When the choir stopped to sing, we start to looking around the hall. This friend is one of the Indonesian permanent in Taize and from the information i've got he's in charge for this prayer hall, so he's got to be here somewhere. After desperately looking and shouting his name, i tried to look behind the decoration and found him! As usual, i gave the best of my hug. Yes, i've met him in Manila for the first time, then when we're at Jakarta, he used to join the Taize prayers in my parish along with his friends. The good thing is, after he left to Taize, his friends still come and join the prayer every month in my parish.
Not only him, i also surprised one brother who seems to be responsible in this prayer hall as well. Then accidentally, this Italian guy bumped on me said that he already hear about me from the Indonesian permanents and very glad to meet me in person. Wow. So we introduced each other and had a very nice conversation, then we exchange contact details. I'm still quite amaze how Taize connected people in mysterious ways.
After booked my return ticket back to London, i went to the workshop about L'Arche community. I know i'll be late for half an hour but still it's a worth to visit since i always interested in L'Arche community in every part of the world. Glad i decided not to give up this workshop and still came even it's already quite late, since the workshop is really beautiful! The residents tells their testimony, along with their parents, then they're singing and dancing some songs.
Back in Ahoy, before join the evening prayer i think it's a good idea to go to the loo. Again, good decision by me since in the way to the toilet, i recognized one guy and he recognized me as well. Our body gesture is quite funny actually, we just stare each other with our right hand pointing at each other trying to figure out who's this guy. Then i start to break this awkward silence by saying "We stayed together in Taize on 2008! But i can't remember you were staying in Neva or Tilleul at that time! You're from Germany right? I'm Timo, what's your name?". Haha!
There's one beautiful thing about this evening prayer; just like in every evening prayer, Br. Alois gave his meditation for the day, but this time in the end of his meditation, he spoke about how he very touched by his visitation in Haiti just one week ago. Then he let one Haitian girl whom stayed in Taize at the moment to share what's her feeling about the disaster and grateful how every young people in the world keeps praying for her country every 12 of the month.
After the prayer finished, i made my short contact meeting with my contact brother since i already made an appointment this afternoon. Even there's no proper room for our meeting, so we just sat in the dark corner in the sacristy. But beyond that darkness surrounds us, there's a little enlightenment about my journey in the 2011. I'll tell about it later :D Then yes i'm very glad to be able to meet my contact brother and had a very nice conversation and discussion.
The enlightenment that just struck me, calls me to make a prayer around the cross. By this time there's not so many people again who queueing up so i don't have to wait for a long time. Put my forehead on the top of the cross and pray, made me really really feel peace. Feels like life is getting easier. Then i asked for Br. Alois' blessing which he still in his place to accompany the young people who make a prayer around the cross. Having an opportunity to talk to him, i said, "Brother, thank you for still being here and accompanying us even you look really tired." But his replies surprised me and a very good yet thoughtful to ends my wonderful day,
I woke up quite late in the morning, had a quick shower and quick breakfast, me and my house/pilgrim-mate headed to our host church which is only 10 minutes of walk. We thought we already late for the morning prayer but apparently the prayer hadn't been started yet. When i was looking for a nice seat for me, accidentally my eyes dragged into one girl with typical and familiar hair and scarf. Apparently that girl also saw my coming, so we ran and hugged each other really really tight! It's the German girl whom i've met before in Manila ten months ago and in Manchester about two months ago. We already contacted each other about going and meet each other in Rotterdam, but we really surprised that we stay together in one host church! What a life! Then she told me that she's gonna be in the same discussion group with me. Wow!
After the beautiful morning prayer, which is i have to lead the singing and Our Father, there's one English guy came to me. Interesting what he said to me, "Hey, i know you. You're the Indonesian boy, right? Do you remember, we stayed together in the silence house during my time in Taize on 2008. But it's funny because i never heard your voice until now, of course because at that time we were in silence". Haha! What an interesting "pick-up" lines! Interesting isn't, how Taize connected people in such a way! Then we introduced our names and catching up about how we ended up here.
Being an animator for the discussion group isn't a new thing for me, since i've been an animator on my first week and an animator for the 15-16 years old group as one of my job in Taize. But it's two and a half years ago! Really, at this time i feel very nervous. Don't know exactly what to say so i just let it flow. If the people in the group quite easy to share then it made me easier, but this is the first day so i have to break the ice. I just think if i want to share something then more or less i have to know about this person. So i made a brief introduction not only about name and nationality but also how many European Meeting already been attended, already been in Taize or not, and such thing like that. The problem is, my work for the entire meeting in Ahoy is circulation team for the midday meal distribution so on the half of the discussion i have to leave earlier. Apparently i'm not the only one in the group who have to leave earlier, but almost half of the group! I don't know if i have to feel happy because i have companions or i have to feel bad because now the group gets smaller.
But then i see one familiar girl who holding the big sign of coordinator's name. I ran and hide to her to make sure she didn't realize about my coming. After quite close then i accelerate my run and stop exact in front of her and gave her a very very big smile! Her reaction was totally unpredictable; she threw up her big sign, holding her head with both of her hands showing a seeing-a-ghost expression, and moving backward like she didn't believe that it is real. After 5 seconds of the-most-surprising-moment, we hugged each other really really tight. Not only one, not only twice, but thrice! During my work as a coordinator for breakfast and tea team in Taize, this Polish girl the coordinator of the small washing up in the big kitchen which is we have to work together in one roof everyday in one week. And that week we really had so much fun, especially during the business of the meal distribution. I don't think she knew before about my coming to Rotterdam even i already posted it in facebook, since her expression is really really shocking :D
Get a very quick briefing by our coordinator, we headed to our kingdom, the biggest meal hall; Hall 6. As i expected before, we get our lunch before the other pilgrims because when the pilgrims get their lunch then we have to work really hard!
After a quick-unfinished lunch, we have to be in positions. Accidentally, i get the position as the string holder; to make a human-string rail to circulate people in particular directions. The idea is to fill the hall in a very corner then go forward and so on. Well, at the first time i thought that what a silly job; just to hold the string and make a way for the people. But later on, i realize that this kind of job is a very important to make sure there will be enough space for the pilgrims to sit on the floor and take their lunch. If there's no circulation team, then people can take a sit everywhere in the hall and there will be not enough space for about something-thousands young people to take their lunch nicely on the floor. So yeah, sometimes some job might a bit silly but if you understand the basic idea then you might think in a different way about your job. It's all about perspective, isn't? ;pQuickly i found out about what's the most fun part about this holding-string job; greeting people with a warm smile and saying "enjoy your meal" in every language as long as i can remember it. Worked in the big kitchen in Taize last 2008 made me learn about how to say "enjoy your meal" in several language. But now i only remember it in French, Spanish, and Italian so i have to refresh my memories. The good thing of doing this to every person that passed me is to see their reactions; many of them smiled, some of them laughed, and some of them greeted back to me in their own language. So i think i made their lunch time a bit different. Another good thing being the "circulator" plus "greeter" is you can see everyone's faces, includes your dear-old friends! Like this afternoon, i found my three dear-old friends already! Yeay!
Then i found out that being a circulator team isn't only about to circulate people in, but also to "circulate" people out! Yes, 15 minutes to the midday prayer, we invite the people to finish the lunch and go to the prayer halls. Usually, the team just telling the people but the Italian group in our team has different idea; to SING!
Seeing several (crazy) young people to sing and dance and walk around the hall, instead of leaving the hall, they became more attracted to stay in the hall to take a photo and watch us marching around the hall. It's so much FUN!
After the midday prayer finish, me and my two British friends decided to stay longer in the hall because we want to look and meet a friend of us. When the choir stopped to sing, we start to looking around the hall. This friend is one of the Indonesian permanent in Taize and from the information i've got he's in charge for this prayer hall, so he's got to be here somewhere. After desperately looking and shouting his name, i tried to look behind the decoration and found him! As usual, i gave the best of my hug. Yes, i've met him in Manila for the first time, then when we're at Jakarta, he used to join the Taize prayers in my parish along with his friends. The good thing is, after he left to Taize, his friends still come and join the prayer every month in my parish.
Not only him, i also surprised one brother who seems to be responsible in this prayer hall as well. Then accidentally, this Italian guy bumped on me said that he already hear about me from the Indonesian permanents and very glad to meet me in person. Wow. So we introduced each other and had a very nice conversation, then we exchange contact details. I'm still quite amaze how Taize connected people in mysterious ways.
After booked my return ticket back to London, i went to the workshop about L'Arche community. I know i'll be late for half an hour but still it's a worth to visit since i always interested in L'Arche community in every part of the world. Glad i decided not to give up this workshop and still came even it's already quite late, since the workshop is really beautiful! The residents tells their testimony, along with their parents, then they're singing and dancing some songs.
There's one beautiful thing about this evening prayer; just like in every evening prayer, Br. Alois gave his meditation for the day, but this time in the end of his meditation, he spoke about how he very touched by his visitation in Haiti just one week ago. Then he let one Haitian girl whom stayed in Taize at the moment to share what's her feeling about the disaster and grateful how every young people in the world keeps praying for her country every 12 of the month.
After the prayer finished, i made my short contact meeting with my contact brother since i already made an appointment this afternoon. Even there's no proper room for our meeting, so we just sat in the dark corner in the sacristy. But beyond that darkness surrounds us, there's a little enlightenment about my journey in the 2011. I'll tell about it later :D Then yes i'm very glad to be able to meet my contact brother and had a very nice conversation and discussion.
The enlightenment that just struck me, calls me to make a prayer around the cross. By this time there's not so many people again who queueing up so i don't have to wait for a long time. Put my forehead on the top of the cross and pray, made me really really feel peace. Feels like life is getting easier. Then i asked for Br. Alois' blessing which he still in his place to accompany the young people who make a prayer around the cross. Having an opportunity to talk to him, i said, "Brother, thank you for still being here and accompanying us even you look really tired." But his replies surprised me and a very good yet thoughtful to ends my wonderful day,
Thank you as well for welcoming us
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Taize Rotterdam Day 1: The Welcoming
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
This is it!
Teamed up with the other British fellows who want to join the meeting as well, our bus arrived in Rotterdam Centraal two hours behind the schedule, which is 4am in the morning. Later we found out that we have to wait until the city of Rotterdam wake up on 6am from their sleep then we can use their transportation service to go to Welcome Point.
The welcoming starts, and it seems we are the first English speakers who came in that day (of course, it's 6am in the morning!) since the volunteers still finding out their shape of how to welcome the pilgrims. But later on, we've got our meal tickets, the amazing MRT card with Taize sign printed on it, work sheet (i've got a circulation team for midday meal distribution), and a very - very wide map of Rotterdam, plus a sheet of how-to-go-to-our-host-church. I found out from our accidentally-British-group, we split up into two host churches. So me and the other fellow British pilgrims finding our way to go to our host church, a place where we will stay for the next five days. Yeay!
This is it!
This is the day which i already expected since months, well 9 months exactly. I remember, after i came home from the wonderful time of preparation and the meeting itself in Manila, i really really want to experience what it feels to be in European Meeting. To be in the middle of thousands young people, to meet, share, and pray together. Wowh! It's not because the meeting in Manila "only" attended by around 5000 young people, but maybe because i just addicted. Well, i think it's normal since i've met a lot of people who "addicted to Taize-thing".
After seven hours exhausting-coach journey from Manchester to London, plus nine hours another-long-exhausting-coach journey from London to Rotterdam really made me total tired. Well, it's a night bus so either you like it or not, you have to sleep in the bus which is i found out difficult to have a deep-sleep since the bus always stop for border check which is quite unusual. But that's ok because that's my first time to cross the English Channel by a ferry! Dover to Calais, YEAY!
Teamed up with the other British fellows who want to join the meeting as well, our bus arrived in Rotterdam Centraal two hours behind the schedule, which is 4am in the morning. Later we found out that we have to wait until the city of Rotterdam wake up on 6am from their sleep then we can use their transportation service to go to Welcome Point.
Quickly we teamed up with the French pilgrims, we headed to the Welcome Point by the metro. The one of the advantages to travel by group is to help each other, especially in the strange country early in the morning with all the signs in DUTCH. Yeah i just remembered, i'm in the Netherlands already! But with a good teamwork even most of us just have met nine hours ago, we made it to the Welcome Point in some part of Rotterdam. Welcomed by the infamous yellow-Taize-signs and the warm-and-full-of-smile welcome by the volunteers, suddenly i feel like home. Even Brother Matthew who greeted us told me in one point, "ah, you're the Indonesian boy! Come come, we were expecting you". Wowh, it's so Taize! Suddenly i remembered the time when the first time i came to the hill, after a very-very-long 24 hours journey, starving-exhausted-wet, Brother Jean-Patrick welcomed me with a very warm smile.
This is so much fun! Finding the way to go somewhere in a strange city, with a foreign language in every sign and announcement. The only help is the spelling names on our map and we have to match it because we don't know how to pronounce it correctly. I just keep telling to myself that; i survived in Japan, which they even didn't put Latin alphabet on almost anything! After a metro and a bus, we found out that our church is exactly on the side of the road. I was like, "ooooh it's too easy! i want more challenge!" ;p
After justified by a Taize-sign on the bus stop, we're heading to our host church. In the church, one guy with a camera - turn out to be their priest, greeted us with a very very warm welcome. Then we were being introduced to the other church members, which some of them are organizing the host family for the pilgrims in their parish. Later on, they welcomed us by things which us Britons already craving out since early in the morning; tea, coffee, and biscuits!
My pilgrimage on that day to the bed turns out to be not that easy as i expected before. When my fellow friends one by one already sent to their host family, I have to wait like another two hour until they gave me my host family. One thing that i like about anything related to Taize is, everyone who participated is really really nice, kind, and warm-hearted so it's way too easy for me to make friends just to begin only with smile and eye contact. Around 12 in the afternoon, finally they sent me and another Slovenian pilgrim to our host family. The son of our family picked us up in the church and showed us the way to his home.
Apparently, our host family is originally from Eritrea. Seems to be that i'm the only person in the world who never heard about that country before. Anyway, he stays with his mother and his younger sister. The children can speak english very good, but not their mother. But it's not a problem since i have a good Tarzan-language. The interesting thing is, when the mother always answering me in Dutch, i found out that there's some of Dutch words which is have exact the same of the pronunciation and the meaning. Interesting!
After a nice conversation of getting know each other with a nice tea and biscuit, finally i can have a proper deep sleep even it's only one hour and a half. Go back to the church and teamed up with the other pilgrims to go to the main venue, Ahoy. Apparently, my host church is not that far to Ahoy, it's only two bus stop and we're there!
This is it! This is the moment when i always watch in the Taize-video (even for hundred times during my time in Manila!) and i always whispering myself that someday i'll be one of them! The moment of thousands of young pilgrims walking together to one direction! And this time i'm really being one of them! In the Taize-videos also showed that in the main venue there must be a giant poster about the European Meeting. But this time, it's on giant screen on the main venue! W.O.W.
Queuing up for the meal distribution, then had my first-simple-meal-package-Taize-style; two breads, cheddars, cold meats, an apple, and a bean-soup in a tin. Had a quick dinner in purpose, i headed to the prayer hall because i want to sit in the front as close as possible to the brothers. So i pick this one nice spot next to the one young seems-to-be nice boy. And quickly we had a very nice conversation, which turns out that he already go to Taize since he was a little kid and this is his first European Meeting because he's just turns out 17 years old and he's very happy for that! Now i regret my self not to ask his contact email/facebook/whatever because he's really nice young boy!
In the middle of our conversation, someone poke me from behind. It turns out to be Br. Jean-Patrick! With a wide surprised-smile he asked me such questions like, "Timo, what are you doing here?? How did you ended up here??" and i was just like "I don't know, you tell me, brother!". Ahahaha! But seems that he's in the middle of something so we had a very quick conversation and catching up each other. After that, i saw Br. Andreas walking across the hall. I ran to him and hugged him! He was like laughing and i said to him, "Brother, i am here!" then he replied "Yes i can see that! So the pilgrimage continues, huh?". Again, he's in the middle of something, well he ALWAYS in the middle of something! So i back to my nice spot and waited for the prayer to begins.
Then the choir leaded up the opening song and suddenly these several thousands young people joined the singing, and i had a goosebumps all over my body. It's...BEAUTIFUL! Especially the moment of silence, WOW around 30.000 young people in silence for 5-8 minutes. Indeed, beautiful!
The prayer continued with a prayer around the cross, as always in every meeting i guess. As i've expected and experienced, many many many people queueing up to pray around the cross. But i'd prefer to stay in my spot and continue to sing. Then until one point i saw this brother going out from the brothers' place and went to the sacristy. Quickly i ran to him until he saw me, but he just ran away from me! Haha! Finally i've got him and i hugged him, my long-lost brother Andre! We had a nice conversation in the sacristy and catching up each other, until i realize this is the time i should go back to my host church to attend the animators meeting.
After had a quick meeting of the animators, i'm going home and i'm really really exhausted. But i had so much fun!
My pilgrimage on that day to the bed turns out to be not that easy as i expected before. When my fellow friends one by one already sent to their host family, I have to wait like another two hour until they gave me my host family. One thing that i like about anything related to Taize is, everyone who participated is really really nice, kind, and warm-hearted so it's way too easy for me to make friends just to begin only with smile and eye contact. Around 12 in the afternoon, finally they sent me and another Slovenian pilgrim to our host family. The son of our family picked us up in the church and showed us the way to his home.
Apparently, our host family is originally from Eritrea. Seems to be that i'm the only person in the world who never heard about that country before. Anyway, he stays with his mother and his younger sister. The children can speak english very good, but not their mother. But it's not a problem since i have a good Tarzan-language. The interesting thing is, when the mother always answering me in Dutch, i found out that there's some of Dutch words which is have exact the same of the pronunciation and the meaning. Interesting!
After a nice conversation of getting know each other with a nice tea and biscuit, finally i can have a proper deep sleep even it's only one hour and a half. Go back to the church and teamed up with the other pilgrims to go to the main venue, Ahoy. Apparently, my host church is not that far to Ahoy, it's only two bus stop and we're there!
This is it! This is the moment when i always watch in the Taize-video (even for hundred times during my time in Manila!) and i always whispering myself that someday i'll be one of them! The moment of thousands of young pilgrims walking together to one direction! And this time i'm really being one of them! In the Taize-videos also showed that in the main venue there must be a giant poster about the European Meeting. But this time, it's on giant screen on the main venue! W.O.W.
In the middle of our conversation, someone poke me from behind. It turns out to be Br. Jean-Patrick! With a wide surprised-smile he asked me such questions like, "Timo, what are you doing here?? How did you ended up here??" and i was just like "I don't know, you tell me, brother!". Ahahaha! But seems that he's in the middle of something so we had a very quick conversation and catching up each other. After that, i saw Br. Andreas walking across the hall. I ran to him and hugged him! He was like laughing and i said to him, "Brother, i am here!" then he replied "Yes i can see that! So the pilgrimage continues, huh?". Again, he's in the middle of something, well he ALWAYS in the middle of something! So i back to my nice spot and waited for the prayer to begins.
Then the choir leaded up the opening song and suddenly these several thousands young people joined the singing, and i had a goosebumps all over my body. It's...BEAUTIFUL! Especially the moment of silence, WOW around 30.000 young people in silence for 5-8 minutes. Indeed, beautiful!
After had a quick meeting of the animators, i'm going home and i'm really really exhausted. But i had so much fun!
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Things I Miss About Manila
not in particular order
#1 - Libertad LRT Station
since all my nine Welcome Centers is along the LRT way, so LRT became the one and the only train transportation i used since past two months. from our secretariat in Don Bosco, Makati, Libertad LRT station is my starting point to visit all my Welcome Centers. it's a very interesting station, apparently. come back from the meetings and if i haven't take my supper yet, i have many option; Chow King, Inasal, and McDonalds! but usually i take McDonalds, until one of the employee know my name already. haha!
from our secretariat, i have to ride a jeepney going to Libertad, but i will alight 300 meters away from the station so i have to walk. but i always enjoy this walk because i always passed the stores that sells almost everything; shirts, wallets, necklace, bracelets, cellphone cases, DVDs, electronics, etc...
my favorite moment is when i come home from meetings, and usually it's already late in the evening, i walk from the station to the jeepney terminal near Jolibee. this walk, accompanied with Coldplay or Keane, beneath the dark of the night, passing through the closed stores on my right side and try to avoid the tricycle which want to park on my left side. until i find the Pasay Road jeepney in the opposite of Jolibee.
#2 - Jeepney
seems to be, this lengthened car from an American Jeep, became the main transportation mode in this country. and it's true, we can't avoid jeepney if we want to go to some place. and i like it very much.
being in a jeepney, we have to bow down if we want to know where we are, also if we want to get in or get out. but my favorite moment is the passing coins. since it's a long car so it will be not possible for those who sit in the back have to pay to the driver by themselves. so what to do? we pass the money through another people until it get to the driver's hand safely. it's some kind of sign of trust, isn't?
another thing is, i always admire the jeepney driver, because of their multi-tasking. it's true! they have to look out the road, change the gear, operating the wheel, looking for passengers, hit the brake, receive the money, count the change, give the change, hit the gas. it's always amazing when i observate a jeepney driver doing all those things without getting any accident ;p
#3 - McDonald's
yes i know this fast food restaurant is exist in any country in the world. but i have to admit, if i have to eat outside, most of the time i go to McD ;p not only because to save money, but also for the sake of time efficiency. sometimes if i don't have enough time, i just take away and eat the cheeseburger or Burger McDo along the way.
but still, eating burgers without Indonesian chili sauce is like dancing without music ;p so thanks to my friend for their effort to send some Indonesian chili sauce to Manila during my staying there.
#4 - Riding an LRT/MRT
well MRT also exist in some country in the world, such as in Japan or Singapore. but somehow i miss the moment when i ride this LRT or MRT in Manila especially during the evening after i finish my meeting.
exhausted, tired, so i just plug my ear and listen to Coldplay or Keane, completing the situation when i sit or stand in the LRT or MRT and seeing the entire city with its lights through the window. my favorite scene from the window is when the train pass Quiapo, i can see the bridge with its beautiful and colorful lights accompanying the cars and the jeepney down there.
#5 - Getting Lost
no one like to get lost, especially in the foreign country or in the city which they never been before. but somehow i enjoy my getting-lost-experience.
in the first two months, each volunteer task' is to locate and make a contact with the parishes which we assigned to. for me, i have around 40 parishes which i have to visit and make a contact. some of them i can locate quite easily because their parish is quite near with the LRT/MRT station. but most of the parishes, i have to do more effort to locate them. and most of the time it took time to locate it. each volunteers have a City Map which is really helpful during this moment. but sometimes there are some small streets which is not exist in the map. and even some of my parishes is not exist in the map because the map is not updated yet!
asking the local people sometimes can help me, but it means i have to ask more than two people to confirm their guide. because sometimes their information is not quite accurate ;p
#1 - Libertad LRT Station
since all my nine Welcome Centers is along the LRT way, so LRT became the one and the only train transportation i used since past two months. from our secretariat in Don Bosco, Makati, Libertad LRT station is my starting point to visit all my Welcome Centers. it's a very interesting station, apparently. come back from the meetings and if i haven't take my supper yet, i have many option; Chow King, Inasal, and McDonalds! but usually i take McDonalds, until one of the employee know my name already. haha!
from our secretariat, i have to ride a jeepney going to Libertad, but i will alight 300 meters away from the station so i have to walk. but i always enjoy this walk because i always passed the stores that sells almost everything; shirts, wallets, necklace, bracelets, cellphone cases, DVDs, electronics, etc...
my favorite moment is when i come home from meetings, and usually it's already late in the evening, i walk from the station to the jeepney terminal near Jolibee. this walk, accompanied with Coldplay or Keane, beneath the dark of the night, passing through the closed stores on my right side and try to avoid the tricycle which want to park on my left side. until i find the Pasay Road jeepney in the opposite of Jolibee.#2 - Jeepney
seems to be, this lengthened car from an American Jeep, became the main transportation mode in this country. and it's true, we can't avoid jeepney if we want to go to some place. and i like it very much.
being in a jeepney, we have to bow down if we want to know where we are, also if we want to get in or get out. but my favorite moment is the passing coins. since it's a long car so it will be not possible for those who sit in the back have to pay to the driver by themselves. so what to do? we pass the money through another people until it get to the driver's hand safely. it's some kind of sign of trust, isn't?
another thing is, i always admire the jeepney driver, because of their multi-tasking. it's true! they have to look out the road, change the gear, operating the wheel, looking for passengers, hit the brake, receive the money, count the change, give the change, hit the gas. it's always amazing when i observate a jeepney driver doing all those things without getting any accident ;p#3 - McDonald's
yes i know this fast food restaurant is exist in any country in the world. but i have to admit, if i have to eat outside, most of the time i go to McD ;p not only because to save money, but also for the sake of time efficiency. sometimes if i don't have enough time, i just take away and eat the cheeseburger or Burger McDo along the way.
but still, eating burgers without Indonesian chili sauce is like dancing without music ;p so thanks to my friend for their effort to send some Indonesian chili sauce to Manila during my staying there.#4 - Riding an LRT/MRT
well MRT also exist in some country in the world, such as in Japan or Singapore. but somehow i miss the moment when i ride this LRT or MRT in Manila especially during the evening after i finish my meeting.
exhausted, tired, so i just plug my ear and listen to Coldplay or Keane, completing the situation when i sit or stand in the LRT or MRT and seeing the entire city with its lights through the window. my favorite scene from the window is when the train pass Quiapo, i can see the bridge with its beautiful and colorful lights accompanying the cars and the jeepney down there.#5 - Getting Lost
no one like to get lost, especially in the foreign country or in the city which they never been before. but somehow i enjoy my getting-lost-experience.
in the first two months, each volunteer task' is to locate and make a contact with the parishes which we assigned to. for me, i have around 40 parishes which i have to visit and make a contact. some of them i can locate quite easily because their parish is quite near with the LRT/MRT station. but most of the parishes, i have to do more effort to locate them. and most of the time it took time to locate it. each volunteers have a City Map which is really helpful during this moment. but sometimes there are some small streets which is not exist in the map. and even some of my parishes is not exist in the map because the map is not updated yet!
asking the local people sometimes can help me, but it means i have to ask more than two people to confirm their guide. because sometimes their information is not quite accurate ;p
Monday, 15 February 2010
Reflection #1
one of my friend in the preparation team of the Pilgrimage of Trust, Florian, told me this thing. one priest from one of his Welcome Centers told him something like this:
and it made me reflect a lot.
i mean, i'm nearly never think in that way. in the beginning why i decided to join the preparation team is only because i like Taize prayer and to live in the community. so i think it will be a good idea to join the preparation team then i can enjoy the prayer three times a day for everyday.
but to serve the church which is not belong to me, in a country which is not my country?? well, i never thought about that before. and i think, even before we realize it, we already done that.
so i think it's like living the Gospel; starts from five breads and two fish but afterward can feed up to five thousands people.
wanna join? ;p
thank you for everything that you've done. it's amazing how you left your life; your home, your family, your friends, your school/work, to serve our church which is not even yours.
and it made me reflect a lot.
i mean, i'm nearly never think in that way. in the beginning why i decided to join the preparation team is only because i like Taize prayer and to live in the community. so i think it will be a good idea to join the preparation team then i can enjoy the prayer three times a day for everyday.
but to serve the church which is not belong to me, in a country which is not my country?? well, i never thought about that before. and i think, even before we realize it, we already done that.
so i think it's like living the Gospel; starts from five breads and two fish but afterward can feed up to five thousands people.
wanna join? ;p
Friday, 12 February 2010
The Beautiful Things of the Pilgrimage of Trust
the five days meeting of the Pilgrimage of Trust is already over. it's wonderful how Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati full of around four thousands young people came from fifty different countries and also different provinces in Philippines.
but for us, the volunteer who work in the parishes, seeing this is like seeing the result of our three months work. our sweat, our patience, our sacrifice, etc. those five days is like a releasing moment for us. after three months visiting them in their parishes, now it's time to see them gather together in one place.
and yes during the morning we still manage to visit at least two parishes to join the morning prayer and morning program in our own Welcome Centers. but the beautiful thing is on the evening since the volunteer and the coordinator of each Welcome Centers have a 6pm meeting every day during the five days meeting. with our own classroom for each volunteer, i met most of all the Welcome Centers' coordinators and hear their story about their morning activity. and i'm glad to see that finally they get to know each other and can hear how's going in another Welcome Centers. as you know, for me i'm very happy to connect every friend that i have so all my friends can know each other ;p
the other beautiful things is finally i can met most of the friends which i met two years ago in Taize. i'm so glad about it! and for me it's a sign of hope that wherever we are, we still can meet each other someday and somewhere. and it's encourage me to still keep saying "see you later!" instead of "goodbye!".
the common prayers also very beautiful. exactly before the prayer, as the other Pilgrimage of
Trust, they played the bell sound in Taize, to remind the people that it's the time to pray together. most of the songs we sing it in Tagalog, and it's very beautiful. for me to sing a Taize song in another language it's like a sign of humbleness. on my first weeks in Manila, i'm not quite comfortable to sing it in Tagalog. but later i learn that the important thing is not the which language we used but the deepness of our heart to sing and pray it.
another beautiful thing is, suddenly Don Bosco Technical Institute transform into Taize village ;p because there's so many people and most of them are really kind. we can smile and greet to each other even we never met before! from that smile and greet, i get a lot of new friends!
but actually the pilgrimage of trust is not over until February 7th, 2010. the pilgrimage of trust is still continues in our own life. how we can keep in trust with ourselves, with the others, even in the most difficult situation. and yes i've experience all these things in these three months here. and all of it it's fruitful.
and for me, i'm really looking forward what will happens with my pilgrimage of trust after i go back in Jakarta.
but for us, the volunteer who work in the parishes, seeing this is like seeing the result of our three months work. our sweat, our patience, our sacrifice, etc. those five days is like a releasing moment for us. after three months visiting them in their parishes, now it's time to see them gather together in one place.
and yes during the morning we still manage to visit at least two parishes to join the morning prayer and morning program in our own Welcome Centers. but the beautiful thing is on the evening since the volunteer and the coordinator of each Welcome Centers have a 6pm meeting every day during the five days meeting. with our own classroom for each volunteer, i met most of all the Welcome Centers' coordinators and hear their story about their morning activity. and i'm glad to see that finally they get to know each other and can hear how's going in another Welcome Centers. as you know, for me i'm very happy to connect every friend that i have so all my friends can know each other ;p
the other beautiful things is finally i can met most of the friends which i met two years ago in Taize. i'm so glad about it! and for me it's a sign of hope that wherever we are, we still can meet each other someday and somewhere. and it's encourage me to still keep saying "see you later!" instead of "goodbye!".
the common prayers also very beautiful. exactly before the prayer, as the other Pilgrimage of
Trust, they played the bell sound in Taize, to remind the people that it's the time to pray together. most of the songs we sing it in Tagalog, and it's very beautiful. for me to sing a Taize song in another language it's like a sign of humbleness. on my first weeks in Manila, i'm not quite comfortable to sing it in Tagalog. but later i learn that the important thing is not the which language we used but the deepness of our heart to sing and pray it.another beautiful thing is, suddenly Don Bosco Technical Institute transform into Taize village ;p because there's so many people and most of them are really kind. we can smile and greet to each other even we never met before! from that smile and greet, i get a lot of new friends!
but actually the pilgrimage of trust is not over until February 7th, 2010. the pilgrimage of trust is still continues in our own life. how we can keep in trust with ourselves, with the others, even in the most difficult situation. and yes i've experience all these things in these three months here. and all of it it's fruitful.
and for me, i'm really looking forward what will happens with my pilgrimage of trust after i go back in Jakarta.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
The Most Important Thing
on Tuesday, i should have two meetings in a day. one meeting with the doctor for follow-up check up and one prayer in the evening in one of my parish.
but both of them are canceled. hmph!
before i get bored, Jeff asked me to attend one of his three meetings in that day. so i went to one of his parish which is quite far from Manila and i only use bus and tricycle instead of MRT.
in the meeting, we had a song practice and a short meeting to discuss about the preparation. but the most interesting part is happens after the meeting is over.
one of the youth leaders approached me and we had a very nice conversation. from some kind of cultural exchange and until getting know each other.
then suddenly she said,
and then i struck. don't know what to say, so i just said, "yeah you're right."
after that, during my way back home, i reflect a lot. i mean, wowh, what she's said is absolutely true and for these two months being in Philippines, i never think about that. and it's true, just compare how many people who work for themselves and how many people who work for the others, especially on these days.
well, working for ourselves isn't so that bad because of course we have to think about ourself. but i'm thinking, which one is the most important for me; take care for my self or take care for the others?
but both of them are canceled. hmph!
before i get bored, Jeff asked me to attend one of his three meetings in that day. so i went to one of his parish which is quite far from Manila and i only use bus and tricycle instead of MRT.
in the meeting, we had a song practice and a short meeting to discuss about the preparation. but the most interesting part is happens after the meeting is over.
one of the youth leaders approached me and we had a very nice conversation. from some kind of cultural exchange and until getting know each other.
then suddenly she said,
"i always admire the people like you, a volunteer who do things for others without thinking about themselves. you know these days, many people working to earn money for themselves. but you, the volunteers, didn't think only about yourself but most of the time you do things for others. like you, after you finish your study, instead of working to earn some money for yourself, you do this volunteering, to help people in a country which is not yours."
and then i struck. don't know what to say, so i just said, "yeah you're right."
after that, during my way back home, i reflect a lot. i mean, wowh, what she's said is absolutely true and for these two months being in Philippines, i never think about that. and it's true, just compare how many people who work for themselves and how many people who work for the others, especially on these days.
well, working for ourselves isn't so that bad because of course we have to think about ourself. but i'm thinking, which one is the most important for me; take care for my self or take care for the others?
The Other Side of the Preparation
now it's two weeks away from the meeting. and everything gets crazy.
there's a registration for those parish youth that want to join the five days meeting. but i don't know it's quite difficult to collect these registration form from them, with various reasons. and actually the "deadline" is on Jan 8th but still until now there's some parishes which didn't submit the form yet. as a volunteer, i understand their reasons why they can't submit the form yet because they find some difficulties to spread the word to all the youth. but in the other hand, the brothers want the number of the local pilgrims because they need to submit the number to those who provide meals and merienda. and also we need the number to make the ID and booklets.
the other thing is we have to make sure that every welcome centers can do the morning activity (morning prayer + morning program) by themselves because on the five days meeting, we will not visit them again because we have around 100 welcome centers and it's quite impossible to be in those places in one time. but still there's some welcome centers didn't experience Taize prayer yet, and it's quite worried because if they never experience a Taize prayer before, how they will manage to conduct a Taize prayer for the five days meeting in their own parish? but it's okay, we still have these two weeks. but how about there's welcome centers that didn't do anything yet to prepare themselves?? the core group didn't exist yet, they still don't have an idea, and so on.
i mean, for these things, i'm the one who worried so much instead of them.
we have a team meeting every monday and bible sharing every thursday. for these kind of meeting, i know that i'm not the only one who worried about these kind of stuffs. the other volunteers also experience the same things and some of them are more stressed than me. hm, but at least these kind of sharing encourage each other.
there's a registration for those parish youth that want to join the five days meeting. but i don't know it's quite difficult to collect these registration form from them, with various reasons. and actually the "deadline" is on Jan 8th but still until now there's some parishes which didn't submit the form yet. as a volunteer, i understand their reasons why they can't submit the form yet because they find some difficulties to spread the word to all the youth. but in the other hand, the brothers want the number of the local pilgrims because they need to submit the number to those who provide meals and merienda. and also we need the number to make the ID and booklets.
the other thing is we have to make sure that every welcome centers can do the morning activity (morning prayer + morning program) by themselves because on the five days meeting, we will not visit them again because we have around 100 welcome centers and it's quite impossible to be in those places in one time. but still there's some welcome centers didn't experience Taize prayer yet, and it's quite worried because if they never experience a Taize prayer before, how they will manage to conduct a Taize prayer for the five days meeting in their own parish? but it's okay, we still have these two weeks. but how about there's welcome centers that didn't do anything yet to prepare themselves?? the core group didn't exist yet, they still don't have an idea, and so on.
i mean, for these things, i'm the one who worried so much instead of them.
we have a team meeting every monday and bible sharing every thursday. for these kind of meeting, i know that i'm not the only one who worried about these kind of stuffs. the other volunteers also experience the same things and some of them are more stressed than me. hm, but at least these kind of sharing encourage each other.
Monday, 28 December 2009
Christmas Chapters
Chapter #1 - Simple Celebration
12.30 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Taize Secretariat, Makati, Manila
after had a simple yet beautiful midday prayer special for celebrating Christmas, all of the volunteers, the brothers, and the sisters gathered together in the secretariat to had a lunch together. today's lunch is special because the brothers cooked it, especially Br. Joseph because he just arrived in Manila last Sunday and i just know that he also the main cooker in the community. haha! so the lunch is buffet, we placed a table in the middle of the room and put all the food and soft drinks on top of the table. as usual, before we start the lunch, we sing a song. and then, the party begins! ;p and the funniest part is, after lunch some of us played a game which is quite not monastic game ahahahaha ;p
Chapter #2 - Blessed Bread
19.00 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Arnaiz Avenue St., Makati, Manila
suddenly Florian invite me to join his little spontaneous project before we depart to Tondo, to buy some Pandesal (Philippines' bread) and give them to the beggars in the pavement near our secretariat. so after we bought a dozen packages of Pandesal, with the other volunteers who each of us holding two bags, we walked along the pavement near our secretariat and saw that there's many beggars sat. ok it's time! so while we walked, we gave the bags to the old women and the children and also didn't forget to greet a Merry Christmas to them. and at a glance, suddenly many children came from every direction and surrounded us but we don't have any bags left. it happened so quick, less than a minute! and after walked quite far from them, we smiled with joyful to each other. great!
Chapter #3 - Jesus Was Born!
21.00 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Sto. Nino Parish, Tondo, Manila
we went to Santo Nino Parish, one parish in Tondo where Florian work with them...
it's one of our Christmas schedule, that we will celebrate Christmas Vigil Mass and afterward we will stay one night in one family in this parish. so when we came, it seems that the previous mass is still going on and there's a lot of people there! so we go to the back of the church and we found the youth members already in the costume because they gonna perform "Panululuyan", the play when Marie and Joseph knocking on the doors in Bethlehem to find a place to have a birth. they gonna perform it during the 21.00 mass. so we have a little conversation with them and took some photos.
so around fifteen minutes to 21.00, the youth coordinator accompanied us to find some places to sit because the previous mass is already finished. but surprisingly, all seats already occupied! so what we did?? we sat on the floor just in front of the front seat. ahahaha it's my first time experience to sit on the floor during Christmas Vigil mass! but the surprise didn't stop yet. Florian already know very well the parish priest and he's the one who celebrated the mass on that night. so after the Panululuyan show, the priest gave the homily. but it seems that this priest is use to approached the people and ask them some questions in his homily. so it's predictable that this pries begins to approached us and he asked our names and where we came from one by one. it's sooooo nervous! imagine! i sat on the floor and this priest with mic in his hands, came to me and asked my name and where i came from with thousands eyes looked at me! even we can see ourselves in the projector!
another interesting part is, after the priest gave final blessings, Maria and Joseph show up again bringing the baby Jesus and many many people surround them try to touch the baby Jesus. and those people followed Maria and Joseph until they reached outside the church, of course with more effort because it's not so easy to walk between the crowd. and also we followed them, and the youth coordinator invite us to bless the baby Jesus by kiss the feet, and so we did it.
afterward, the youth coordinator invite us to meet the parish priest and also the host family that will host us for one night in their house. it's nice, we took a photo together and have a little conversation. and afterward we have to go as soon as possible to our host family house because the food is waiting there.
Chapter #4 - Surprise, Surprise!
23.00 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Host Family, Tondo, Manila
this host family is a surprise for us. first of all, their house. more than our expectation! second thing, apparently the whole big family, relatives, and their friends already wait for us for a Christmas Party! ooooh my, even it's already 11pm in the evening, they still waited for us and didn't touch the food yet until we came! so when we came, quite amazed with the decoration, so many people, the karaoke machine, and the foods, we start to have our very late supper with them. it was soooo nice there were many children so sometimes we played with them. and also some people already grab the mic and start to sing the karaoke.
after we finish our very fine dinner, apparently they have a game and session for us. so we played the game, one of them is we have to hit the pot which hanging on top of us with stick but in closed eyes. inside the pot it were powder and candies. i'm as the first person who attempt to hit it, successfully failed, haha! and afterward we were dancing together, yeah of course "Nobody Nobody but You!". then it was performance from some teenagers who dance and a ballroom dance by the grandmother and her dance instructor. then for the final session, we had a slow dance number. and we closed that party with giving gifts to the family and we went to sleep around 2am.
Chapter #5 - Christmas Charity
09.00 AM - Friday, December 25th, 2009 - Missionary of Charity's House, Tayuman, Manila
in the morning we woke up around 8am and took our breakfast. it's a very nice breakfast, with some rest food from the night. and the host parents drove us by car to the Missionaries of Charity house then we say goodbye to them. i can see the mother's eyes were sparkling, it's so touching.
after passing through the big blue gate written "Missionaries of Charity - Home of Joy", we asked one of the sister that we want to meet the Superior. so she introduced us to the Superior and she told us that we can help the lunch distribution but at the moment we can join the Christmas mass which will celebrated by Cardinal Rosales. wowh! so apparently on that time they held a Christmas gathering so they invite around thousands homeless people to come and celebrate the Christmas with mass and some performance.
it's like a double surprise for us! first, we really looking forward to work with the sisters of Charity because we adore them, especially me! and second, we didn't expect before that there will be a mass and celebrated by Cardinal himself!
so then we sat along with the other thousands homeless people and also with the other sisters of Charity to celebrate the mass. after the mass is finished, one sister took us to meet the Cardinal. so we have a very short conversation and took a photo with the Cardinal and the Superior. perfect!!
afterward, it's time to work! we put our bag and start to distribute the food. so all the people will keep sit to watch the animations while the volunteers and the sisters lining up and pass the food to the people. it's quite interesting to distribute the food and the drink because we only have to stand and pass the plates and the bottles to the person next to us. the best thing is when i pass the plates and the bottles to the people, it's nice to see how they smile with joy.
after around 30 minutes distributing lunch, we took our lunch. after i finished my lunch, i talked to someone and apparently he's a priest so he took me to visit the chapel. and the chapel is simple yet beautiful! we managed to have a short silence there and, it's beautiful.
just a second after i came out from the chapel, one sister greet me in Bahasa Indonesia. wooooooooowh! i met a sister of Charity who came from Indonesia! apparently she came from West Sumatra and we talked a lot. she took me to the place where they take care the homeless people who were sick. and it's very nice to see how they smile when they see me visit them.
afterward, we still thirst for work so we help the sisters to clean the area after all the people left. this is the best part because we can work together with the sister and manage to have some little conversation. i met sisters that came from Ireland, New Zealand, and India.
around 12 pm we have to leave not because the sisters want to have a prayer but also we have to catch the bus to go to Batangas, to visit Janice.
Chapter #6 - Night in Batangas
19.00 PM - Friday, December 25th, 2009 - Bauan, Batangas
it's 2 hours by bus from Manila to Batangas and around 3pm we arrive in Janice house after she fetch us in the bus station. apparently her cousin held a thanksgiving after get their house blessed just in the next of Janice house. so we join the early supper and suddenly Michio called Florian! so one by one we talked to Michio with joy! then Janice introduce us to her friends from her parish youth.
because six of us were craving to find a beautiful beach, Janice and her friends took us to the beach. it's already dark but it's nice to see water and rocks and spend our night there. we talked, we laughed, we shared. suddenly we forgot about our monastic life! ahahahaha ;p
around 11pm we decided to come home because among us volunteers want to have our time together to share. so when we get in the Janice house, we sit in the table and start to eat anything that we can found; chips, cakes, lasagna, ice cream, apple juice, etc. ahahahaha.
then we continued with midnight sharing. yeah after 2 months of being busy and never had a chance to be together, i think it's our first time to being together and have a deeper sharing about anything. we finished our sharing around 2am because many people already fall a slept.
in the morning we woke up around 8am and Florian was trying to drive a jeepney! ahahaha so cool! after say goodbye to Janice, we depart from Batangas by bus around 9am and arrived again in Manila around 11am. so we back to real world and also back to monastic life ;p
12.30 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Taize Secretariat, Makati, Manila
after had a simple yet beautiful midday prayer special for celebrating Christmas, all of the volunteers, the brothers, and the sisters gathered together in the secretariat to had a lunch together. today's lunch is special because the brothers cooked it, especially Br. Joseph because he just arrived in Manila last Sunday and i just know that he also the main cooker in the community. haha! so the lunch is buffet, we placed a table in the middle of the room and put all the food and soft drinks on top of the table. as usual, before we start the lunch, we sing a song. and then, the party begins! ;p and the funniest part is, after lunch some of us played a game which is quite not monastic game ahahahaha ;p
Chapter #2 - Blessed Bread
19.00 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Arnaiz Avenue St., Makati, Manila
suddenly Florian invite me to join his little spontaneous project before we depart to Tondo, to buy some Pandesal (Philippines' bread) and give them to the beggars in the pavement near our secretariat. so after we bought a dozen packages of Pandesal, with the other volunteers who each of us holding two bags, we walked along the pavement near our secretariat and saw that there's many beggars sat. ok it's time! so while we walked, we gave the bags to the old women and the children and also didn't forget to greet a Merry Christmas to them. and at a glance, suddenly many children came from every direction and surrounded us but we don't have any bags left. it happened so quick, less than a minute! and after walked quite far from them, we smiled with joyful to each other. great!
Chapter #3 - Jesus Was Born!
21.00 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Sto. Nino Parish, Tondo, Manila
we went to Santo Nino Parish, one parish in Tondo where Florian work with them...
it's one of our Christmas schedule, that we will celebrate Christmas Vigil Mass and afterward we will stay one night in one family in this parish. so when we came, it seems that the previous mass is still going on and there's a lot of people there! so we go to the back of the church and we found the youth members already in the costume because they gonna perform "Panululuyan", the play when Marie and Joseph knocking on the doors in Bethlehem to find a place to have a birth. they gonna perform it during the 21.00 mass. so we have a little conversation with them and took some photos.
so around fifteen minutes to 21.00, the youth coordinator accompanied us to find some places to sit because the previous mass is already finished. but surprisingly, all seats already occupied! so what we did?? we sat on the floor just in front of the front seat. ahahaha it's my first time experience to sit on the floor during Christmas Vigil mass! but the surprise didn't stop yet. Florian already know very well the parish priest and he's the one who celebrated the mass on that night. so after the Panululuyan show, the priest gave the homily. but it seems that this priest is use to approached the people and ask them some questions in his homily. so it's predictable that this pries begins to approached us and he asked our names and where we came from one by one. it's sooooo nervous! imagine! i sat on the floor and this priest with mic in his hands, came to me and asked my name and where i came from with thousands eyes looked at me! even we can see ourselves in the projector!
another interesting part is, after the priest gave final blessings, Maria and Joseph show up again bringing the baby Jesus and many many people surround them try to touch the baby Jesus. and those people followed Maria and Joseph until they reached outside the church, of course with more effort because it's not so easy to walk between the crowd. and also we followed them, and the youth coordinator invite us to bless the baby Jesus by kiss the feet, and so we did it.
afterward, the youth coordinator invite us to meet the parish priest and also the host family that will host us for one night in their house. it's nice, we took a photo together and have a little conversation. and afterward we have to go as soon as possible to our host family house because the food is waiting there.Chapter #4 - Surprise, Surprise!
23.00 PM - Thursday, December 24th, 2009 - Host Family, Tondo, Manila
this host family is a surprise for us. first of all, their house. more than our expectation! second thing, apparently the whole big family, relatives, and their friends already wait for us for a Christmas Party! ooooh my, even it's already 11pm in the evening, they still waited for us and didn't touch the food yet until we came! so when we came, quite amazed with the decoration, so many people, the karaoke machine, and the foods, we start to have our very late supper with them. it was soooo nice there were many children so sometimes we played with them. and also some people already grab the mic and start to sing the karaoke.
after we finish our very fine dinner, apparently they have a game and session for us. so we played the game, one of them is we have to hit the pot which hanging on top of us with stick but in closed eyes. inside the pot it were powder and candies. i'm as the first person who attempt to hit it, successfully failed, haha! and afterward we were dancing together, yeah of course "Nobody Nobody but You!". then it was performance from some teenagers who dance and a ballroom dance by the grandmother and her dance instructor. then for the final session, we had a slow dance number. and we closed that party with giving gifts to the family and we went to sleep around 2am.Chapter #5 - Christmas Charity
09.00 AM - Friday, December 25th, 2009 - Missionary of Charity's House, Tayuman, Manila
in the morning we woke up around 8am and took our breakfast. it's a very nice breakfast, with some rest food from the night. and the host parents drove us by car to the Missionaries of Charity house then we say goodbye to them. i can see the mother's eyes were sparkling, it's so touching.
after passing through the big blue gate written "Missionaries of Charity - Home of Joy", we asked one of the sister that we want to meet the Superior. so she introduced us to the Superior and she told us that we can help the lunch distribution but at the moment we can join the Christmas mass which will celebrated by Cardinal Rosales. wowh! so apparently on that time they held a Christmas gathering so they invite around thousands homeless people to come and celebrate the Christmas with mass and some performance.
it's like a double surprise for us! first, we really looking forward to work with the sisters of Charity because we adore them, especially me! and second, we didn't expect before that there will be a mass and celebrated by Cardinal himself!
so then we sat along with the other thousands homeless people and also with the other sisters of Charity to celebrate the mass. after the mass is finished, one sister took us to meet the Cardinal. so we have a very short conversation and took a photo with the Cardinal and the Superior. perfect!!
afterward, it's time to work! we put our bag and start to distribute the food. so all the people will keep sit to watch the animations while the volunteers and the sisters lining up and pass the food to the people. it's quite interesting to distribute the food and the drink because we only have to stand and pass the plates and the bottles to the person next to us. the best thing is when i pass the plates and the bottles to the people, it's nice to see how they smile with joy.after around 30 minutes distributing lunch, we took our lunch. after i finished my lunch, i talked to someone and apparently he's a priest so he took me to visit the chapel. and the chapel is simple yet beautiful! we managed to have a short silence there and, it's beautiful.
just a second after i came out from the chapel, one sister greet me in Bahasa Indonesia. wooooooooowh! i met a sister of Charity who came from Indonesia! apparently she came from West Sumatra and we talked a lot. she took me to the place where they take care the homeless people who were sick. and it's very nice to see how they smile when they see me visit them.afterward, we still thirst for work so we help the sisters to clean the area after all the people left. this is the best part because we can work together with the sister and manage to have some little conversation. i met sisters that came from Ireland, New Zealand, and India.
around 12 pm we have to leave not because the sisters want to have a prayer but also we have to catch the bus to go to Batangas, to visit Janice.
Chapter #6 - Night in Batangas
19.00 PM - Friday, December 25th, 2009 - Bauan, Batangas
it's 2 hours by bus from Manila to Batangas and around 3pm we arrive in Janice house after she fetch us in the bus station. apparently her cousin held a thanksgiving after get their house blessed just in the next of Janice house. so we join the early supper and suddenly Michio called Florian! so one by one we talked to Michio with joy! then Janice introduce us to her friends from her parish youth.
because six of us were craving to find a beautiful beach, Janice and her friends took us to the beach. it's already dark but it's nice to see water and rocks and spend our night there. we talked, we laughed, we shared. suddenly we forgot about our monastic life! ahahahaha ;paround 11pm we decided to come home because among us volunteers want to have our time together to share. so when we get in the Janice house, we sit in the table and start to eat anything that we can found; chips, cakes, lasagna, ice cream, apple juice, etc. ahahahaha.
then we continued with midnight sharing. yeah after 2 months of being busy and never had a chance to be together, i think it's our first time to being together and have a deeper sharing about anything. we finished our sharing around 2am because many people already fall a slept.
in the morning we woke up around 8am and Florian was trying to drive a jeepney! ahahaha so cool! after say goodbye to Janice, we depart from Batangas by bus around 9am and arrived again in Manila around 11am. so we back to real world and also back to monastic life ;p
Friday, 11 December 2009
The Kingdom of God is Meetings and Papers ;p
hello there! i'm back from visiting parishes. and from 34 parishes i've assigned to, there's only 2 parish left that i still have to visit. but from now on i already can do the next step: meeting(s).
yes, either to have a meeting with the youth coordinator only, or with the youth officers, or with the parish priest, or with the parish council, or with all the youth members.
so what kind of meeting of it?
sometimes we call it an infomeeting, or informational meeting. a meeting that we inform about what is Taize and Taize Community (for those who never heard about Taize before) and the Pilgrimage of Trust and the more concrete about it.
so let me share about the simulation of one of our meetings here. at least these are what we always said (over and over again) in every meetings...
yes, these things that we have to share with the parishes, well more or less. it's depends on each person in their style.
and after the meeting, we have to write the brief report to a paper of each parish.
to make it easier for someone to track down what already happens in every parishes. because sometimes, one person can have two meetings or more in a same time, that means someone else have to substitute this person. for my self, this Saturday, December 12th, 2009, i have three meetings in three different parishes in the same time. so someone else have to go there to held the meeting. weekend is our most busiest day in a week. because most of parishes will have their youth meeting in either Friday, Saturday, or Sundar. so definately our weekend is not our holiday ;p for additional information, this weekend we have total 53 meetings. haha!
so far i enjoyed every meeting that i had. just last night i had a meeting, it's not the parish that i've assigned to, but i really enjoyed the time with the youth there. we never meet each other before but they are so welcome and we had fun together. each of us really interested to get know each other and sometimes we laugh together. and in the end of the meeting, it's a common thing for them that they have a sharing time. so each of us have to share about what happens in our life lately. and it was sooooo beautiful. with that sharing time, it's like getting us more closer to each other because we put trust on them to share our life. even it's my first time to meet them and vice versa! love it!
so that's all what i want to share lately.
see you later!
yes, either to have a meeting with the youth coordinator only, or with the youth officers, or with the parish priest, or with the parish council, or with all the youth members.
so what kind of meeting of it?
sometimes we call it an infomeeting, or informational meeting. a meeting that we inform about what is Taize and Taize Community (for those who never heard about Taize before) and the Pilgrimage of Trust and the more concrete about it.
so let me share about the simulation of one of our meetings here. at least these are what we always said (over and over again) in every meetings...
Taize is small small village, which even didn't exist in the map, which is located in France. in this small village, there's only around 40 families who live here. in 1940, a young man came to this village to build a community and be the sign of reconciliation. in that time, there's a lot of victim of World War II and this young man helped them and gave them refuge in this small village. then some young people came and join him to helped this refugees and later these young people became the first Taize brothers. years by years, a lot of young people from Europe start to visit this small village and this was not expected before. a large number of young people came every year, especially during the summer, to stay for a week and to have an experience of a monastic life, pray three times together, have a bible reflection, and the most important thing, to meet another young people that came from different background and different denomination to share their life. at the time, there are around 100 brothers came from 25 different countries welcoming around 10.000 young people came in every year from different part of the world; Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, Australia.
then the brothers think that they shouldn't wait the young people to come to Taize, but they will come to them, to their continents. so since 1970, the brothers held an European Meeting called the Pilgrimage of Trust in the end of every year in one of the big cities in Europe. and the brothers also held the Pilgrimage of Trust in other continent. in 2007 it was in Bolivia, Latin America. in 2008 it was in Kenya, Africa. and in February 3 - 7, 2010, they will come to the city of Manila, Philippines.
so this Pilgrimage of Trust in Manila is the second time we held. the first Pilgrimage of Trust in Manila is on 1991 and there was around 15.000 young people from different part of the world participate on the pilgrimage.on for the next February, we expected the same number that will come to Metro Manila.
the young pilgrims that come from outside Metro Manila, and also from abroad, will sleep in the local churches in the host/foster families.they know in advance that they will sleep on the floor. they expected nothing from the host/foster families except the two squared metres space on their house and a very simple breakfast. for lunch and dinner, they will have it on the venue, in John Bosco Makati. the pilgrims will take care their own transportation fare, each day to John Bosco Makati and back to host families.
the Pilgrimage of Trust it self will be held for five days, from Wednesday February 3th until Sunday February 7th, 2010. on Wednesday will be the welcoming day. so the pilgrims will come directly to the local churches, we called them a Welcome Center. so the young people from each parishes will welcome the pilgrims and then sent them to their host families. then in the evening, the pilgrims should come to John Bosco Makati to take their dinner on 5.45 pm and followed by evening prayer on 7.00 pm. the evening prayer is open for everyone and all generations. then they have to go back to their host families around 8.30 pm
the next three days, Thursday until Saturday, from February 4th - 6th, 2010, there will be a morning activity in local churches. so the Welcome Centers shall prepare for the morning prayer around 7.30 am and followed by morning program. the morning program on Thursday morning will be a getting know each other with the bible sharing, on Friday morning there will be a visiting the places or people of hope in the neighborhood, and on Saturday morning there will be a sharing with the parishioners or the parish youth members. then around 10.00 am the pilgrims and the participants shall go to the John Bosco Makati to have their lunch, then followed by midday prayer, then followed by an afternoon program. during the evening it will be the same like the other days, dinner, evening prayer, and around 8.30 they have to go back to their host families.
on Sunday, there will be no more morning activity in local churches, but there will be a Closing Celebration on 9.30 am in John Bosco Makati. and afterwards, the departure of the pilgrims.
yes, these things that we have to share with the parishes, well more or less. it's depends on each person in their style.
and after the meeting, we have to write the brief report to a paper of each parish.
to make it easier for someone to track down what already happens in every parishes. because sometimes, one person can have two meetings or more in a same time, that means someone else have to substitute this person. for my self, this Saturday, December 12th, 2009, i have three meetings in three different parishes in the same time. so someone else have to go there to held the meeting. weekend is our most busiest day in a week. because most of parishes will have their youth meeting in either Friday, Saturday, or Sundar. so definately our weekend is not our holiday ;p for additional information, this weekend we have total 53 meetings. haha!so far i enjoyed every meeting that i had. just last night i had a meeting, it's not the parish that i've assigned to, but i really enjoyed the time with the youth there. we never meet each other before but they are so welcome and we had fun together. each of us really interested to get know each other and sometimes we laugh together. and in the end of the meeting, it's a common thing for them that they have a sharing time. so each of us have to share about what happens in our life lately. and it was sooooo beautiful. with that sharing time, it's like getting us more closer to each other because we put trust on them to share our life. even it's my first time to meet them and vice versa! love it!
so that's all what i want to share lately.
see you later!
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