FILIPINAS • PHILIPPINES
ancestral lands is not merely a fight for property; it is fundamentally linked to their survival and cultural identity. Many communities, especially in remote areas, endure land grabbing and illegal logging, all while lacking adequate access to education, healthcare, and basic necessities such as food, water and sanitation. This dire situation places an immense burden on the youth, who are tasked with preserving their heritage. Despite these formidable challenges, various indigenous communities demonstrate extraordinary resilience such as those speakers. Their participation at the conference was a powerful declaration of their need for acknowledgment of historical injustices, and they call on that the Church stand firmly in solidarity with them as they pursue dignity and a sustainable future. For many who were present in that event, it opened greater consciousness and more awareness of the deep connection that binds people together regardless of diversities and differences.Truly, we felt their pains but we put together our hope. Similarly that same month, the Juniorate community with five temporary professed sisters and Sr.Francia Opiana, ACI the vice-provincial and the junior formator took more concrete action by living with the Indigenous youth in Bendum, a village in the southern Philippines. It was preceded by their annual retreat giving more impetus in their immersion. Embracing the spirit of synodality, they connected through prayer, reflection, encounters and activities addressing the urgent pastoral needs of the community. The youth, primarily scholars and graduates, expressed a resolute call to reconnect with their roots and conveyed their gratitude for the transformative formation they received in Bendum. Their spiritual conversation was guided by pastoral letters and church documents. Their proactive initiatives included storytelling for children, bible sharing, bread making, choir practice, listening
circle, vocation promotion, celebration of the mass, family visitation, contact with nature, and recreation time together. Throughout their stay, they cultivated a culture of listening and discernment, embodying the essence of a Church that journeys with its people. Below are the sisters’ testimonies, honoring their profound encounters with the Indigenous community in collaboration with the Jesuits and other groups. Sr.Ibby Carreon, ACI: “ I see the beauty in the life- giving interplay between the Indigenous people and the forest: I see the hand of God at work in His creation. ” Far from the reality of life in the city where people rush to get things done and attain instant satisfaction, I discovered in Bendum the sacredness in languid exchange of generous giving and humble thanksgiving. I see the beauty in the life-giving interplay between the Indigenous people and the forest: when people anticipate, with reverence, the land’s gift of nourishment, and when they dream and strive day by day to keep the forest breathing with life. In all these natural flows of life, I see the hand of God at work in His creation. And I guess that’s show creation. God creates, breathes life into it, and lets it flow to make His love known to all who dwell in His land. It is indeed an experience of “be” –ing human, resting and observing with awe how God allows nature to unfold its beauty and reveal His love to all who humble themselves to receive the depths and heights of its abundant gifts. And so I told my sister, “How could one think of doing something bad in a place like this?” In a place where there is so much to hear, taste, see, smell, and feel God’s love, one could just echo the ancient affirmation of the Divine, “It is good!” Sr. Vu Thi Dang, ACI; “ Hope is the faithful commitment to love. ” Bendum – a place where hope is nurtured, where love overflows. I thank God for granting me
54
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator