Monday, January 25, 2009 and Tuesday, January 26, 2009
As I sit to write this blog entry, I find myself at a loss for words to be able to truly articulate the experiences of the last two days—and I have a feeling that may be the case for this entire experience—however, I’ll do my best.
According to our schedule (yes, we received one today—and I’m pretty sure the only folks carrying it around are the Americans ☺ )—the first two days of the program were to focus on “orientation.” We’ve all been to orientation sessions and in general they are pretty standard, right??—review of the program schedule; “housekeeping” items; possibly a tour of the facilities, etc. . . Well, this “orientation” has been like no other I have been involved in. . .and FAR MORE than simply an orientation to the program—but really an orientation to the realities of our world. . . and the realities of how people in the world are treated.
As with every morning, we started the day with prayer and lifted in prayer those CIL participants who have yet to be able to join us: two participants from Bogotá, Columbia, who are still awaiting visas; one from Lebanon, who was denied a visa and one participant from Burkina Faso, West Africa—who was being detained at the airport in Rome (they detained him overnight for no good/ logical reason and released him in the morning)—and when he arrived he was full of such great joy and walked around greeting everyone!!—and more amazingly said that being here was worth the experience in the airport. As I sat there during prayer, I couldn’t help but think about my experience in the Rome airport with the passport control agent, who did not look at the inside of my passport. . . but instead only looked at the blue cover that indicated it was from the United States. . . I could say SO much about this, but I think I’ll let those of you who are reading this reflect on this reality for yourself.
The morning continued with the sharing of stories amongst the participants, as we continue to get to know one another (it would be impossible to capture all of the stories) but one story that particularly struck me was from Maher Matar, who is a teacher at our Lasallian High School in Bethlehem. I was chatting with him during the coffee break and telling him that I was going to be visiting Bethlehem—and he extended many kindnesses to me regarding visiting his home. . . .In the course of our conversation I asked him what he taught—and expected him to say something like “English, math, etc. . .” instead he told me that he teaches his students (who are mostly Palestinian) that they are good people, filled with goodness and Godliness. . . and reminds them on a daily basis that they need to be confident that God will bring peace to the Holy Land. (He is also the director of the French program.) At the core of our Lasallian Mission we are called to be “ambassadors and ministers of Christ,”—what a profound expression of the Mission!!
This is just one of MANY stories like this. . .and I will share more as the days go on.
The afternoon and evening was one of GREAT joy and community building!! In the afternoon a group of us (folks from Vietnam, Bethlehem, Australia, and the United States) headed to some of the sites in Rome (I posted a few pictures). We had a MOST wonderful time exploring Rome and sharing our stories with each other. Monday night ended with a Fiesta!!—where we celebrated being peoples from around the world all gathered here as Lasallians—a great joy!
Today, the refrain of our sung prayer was from the message of the prophet Samuel; Aqui estoy Senor, para hacer tu voluntad; Me voici Seigneur, pour faire ta volonte; Here I am Lord, I come to do your will. The experience of the last two days has been so overwhelmingly holy. . .the goodness that is happening in the world because of the Lasallian Family—brothers and lay partners, (many who are CIList, but MANY more who are working at our ministries as we are here) who together and by association, have said "Here I Am Lord, I come to do your will, is amazing and humbling . . .
Tonight we ended our evening with a walk to the local gelato store (I think this is going to become a common ritual). . . an international community of participants from Bethlehem, Egypt, Canada Francophone, and the United State were on tonight’s walk. . . and in our escapade to the gelato store we “ran into” a group of about 10 students from Saint Mary’s College of California who are here for their Jan Term break. . .I think it was quite fitting that we ended our day by meeting on the street those who are “entrusted to our care.”
The schedule for tomorrow states we are going to “share our expectations with the group”. . . who knows what tomorrow will really bring. . . so I think I’m going to leave my “schedule” behind and instead follow the schedule the Holy Spirit has planned for all of us in CIL.
I’ll end with an Arabic greeting that I learned today--ASSALAMU ALAYKUM (“Peace be upon you”). . .just think, what would our world be like if we blest each other with this greeting on a daily basis!
Bonne nuit,
Tina
