Manresans` El Salvador Immersion: Experiences

Manresans’ El Salvador Immersion: Experiences and Impressions
By Ms. Loi Mandario
The seven participants who participated in the immersion in El Salvador, Misamis
Oriental last April 19-26, 2016 conducted varied activities such as livelihood and food
preservation seminar for parents of the Our Lady of the Snows Parish, catechism and reading
classes for the children and youth of Taytay and Amoros, theater arts seminar-workshop for the
parish youth, talk on health and sanitation for Taytay parents and feeding of Amoros children.
Aside from this, Manresa School Amplified Community together with Manresan School Faculty
and Staff Organization financed the two major livelihood programs of El Salvador namely the
one year Feeding Program for Amoros children and the Livestock (Goat Raising) Project for
Taytay BEC leaders.
The Immersion Team were also grateful for taking part in the Solidarity Walk for
Mother Earth last April 22 which made everyone aware of social issues and environmental
concerns of the Muslim community, Lumads, youth sector, Church and government units. The
talks, sentiments, experiences and advocacies of the different sectors challenged everyone for a
personal and communal call to care, restore and preserve Mother Earth. Over all, our immersion
was a total package with the tour at High Ridge and Cathedral in Cagayan de Oro City, the night
swimming at Dakak and the educational tour of Jose Rizal Shrine at Dapitan, Zamboanga del
Norte.
Arrival and lunch at 1:30PM in El Salvador. Mass and tour of the
Divine Mercy Shrine.
At The Our Lady of the Snows Parish, El Salvador. Livelihood and Food
Preservation Seminar in the morning (tamban sardines, atsara ampalaya, ensaladang
labanos and tomato jam); and afternoon tour at High Ridge, Cagayan de Oro City.
Theater Arts Seminar Workshop for the parish youth in the morning. Free
time in the afternoon at the Sisters’ residence.
EARTH DAY 2016: Solidarity Walk for Mother
Earth at Cagayan de Oro City. Being made
aware of social issues and environmental concerns;
and feeling challenged after listening to the talks
especially to the sentiments, experiences and
advocacies of the different sectors like the Muslim
community, IPs- Lumads, youth sector, Christians
and Government units. A personal and communal
call to care, restore and preserve Mother Earth for
future generations.
At Kong Hua School
Pastoral Center.
Catechism classes,
Reading classes, Talk
on Health &
Sanitation and
Session with the
youth.
Immersion Bonus: Travel to Dapitan-Dakak, Zamboanga del Norte.
Passed by at Mrs. Pangilinan’s place and family in Ilaya, Dapitan. Night tour and
swimming at Dakak Beach Resort.
Immersion Bonus: Mass at Dapitan and Educational Tour at Rizal Shrine,
Dapitan. Travel back to EL Salvador via Dipolog and sightseeing at Maria Cristina
Falls reservoir in Iligan.
With Amoros children. Catechism class, Mobile Library and Feeding at the Sisters'
residence. A total of 29 children from Amoros, El Salvador aged 4 to 13 attended the
activities. They sang the newly learned song "In Jesus We Have Everything" with gusto
in their own version... so cute and lovable children….
Last mass and visit at the Divine Mercy Shrine. Daily pilgrims come from different places
every day to hear the 3pm mass and to pray to the Sacred Heart of the Miraculous Jesus.
Jesus, King of Mercy, We trust in You.
Prayed at St. Augustine Cathedral in CDO. Also prayed for the souls of the
missing victims of Typhoon Sendong. Marketing for tokens…
Sharing of experiences, evaluation and gift-giving.
PM – Homebound…
IMPRESSIONS OF THE IMMEMRSION TEAM
Una sa lahat, nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoong Diyos sa lahat ng aral at katalinuhan na
ibinigay Niya sa amin sa EL Salvador. Pangalawa, nagpapasalamat ako sa mga madre ng Hijas
de Jesus sa pagtitiwala sa amin sa pagsasabuhay at pagsasaganap ng tungkulin namin sa
simbahan at sa kapwa sa aming pakikipamuhay sa El Salvador. Ang mga karanasan namin sa El
Salvador ay nagdulot sa bawat isa sa amin ng katalinuhang maunawaan ang tungkulin namin sa
aming kapwa na salat sa lahat ng bagay. - Ms. Pat Cruz
How great is God’s love manifested in our daily encounter with our brothers and sisters in El
Salvador. It was indeed a service of love and an answer to the call of the Church on
evangelization and preferential option for the poor. Sharing Jesus with others made us love more
our mission. - Ms. Aida Gomez
The immersion experience has been an experience of God’s love and God’s divine presence in
different faces and walks of life. We thank the Lord for allowing us to experience and feel His
presence in every episode of our immersion and for sending us Sr. Mary Juelar, Sr. Patience, and
Sr. Felie as our guides and facilitators. They are God’s instruments in fulfilling the apostolic
mission. We truly thank and appreciate those we encountered in the different activities of our
immersion. Our Mother Foundress, Saint Candida Maria De Jesus believes that God is our
loving Father and He never abandons us, His children. The loving embrace and guidance of our
Father had been felt in the entire journey of our immersion. - Ms. Bonna Bayais
My first experience in El Salvador is very exhilarating and fulfilling. I felt God’s presence and
Divine Mercy every time we hear the 3pm mass and visited the Divine Mercy Shrine. I also felt
happy and glad to have shared my time, talents and giftedness both in the FI residence and in the
immersion activities. I am always grateful for the all the opportunities and challenges that I had
encountered. I thank the Sisters in El Salvador and in Manresa School for allowing me to be part
of this immersion. I will be more than willing to go back to El Salvador next year for follow up.
The immersion was indeed a blessing because I was able to visit my family after thirteen years.
Everything happens for a reason. God knows the reason. Blessed be God! - Mrs. Tonette
Pangilinan
HOLISTIC EXPERIENCE! I felt lucky to have enough in life compared to the families in our
partner communities who live in continuous social problems and economic struggles. The
prayerful ambience in the Divine Mercy Shrine and faith of the pilgrims; the serviceable attitude
of the parish youth; the lovable children of Amoros and the unexpected educational and cultural
tour of the different places. The spirit of filiation and fraternity of Sr. Mary, Sr. Patience & Sr.
Felie made our stay more meaningful and blessed. I was challenged by the experience that I can
promote and invite young teachers in our school to get involve and join this kind of mission by
which money cannot equate. Thank you to the organizers for allowing me to experience this
immersion activity which was a total package for personal, social, professional and spiritual
upliftment. God is so good all the time. - Mrs. Cristy Faller
Our immersion experience is meaningful, fulfilling, awesome and grace-filled encounter of
God’s grace, love and presence in all our activities and experiences. Our immersion had fostered
in us the values of self-abnegation, love for the poor, teamwork and collaboration. This
immersion also helped us see the realities of life and mission of the Hijas de Jesus in El Salvador
which in turn helped us value the work of evangelization and missionary spirit as FI lay
collaborators. Indeed, God’s Spirit and St. Candida’s charism are always alive and active for
those who are happy and faithful to love and serve God and others. - Ms. Loi Mandario
I am blessed to be part of the immersion team in El Salvador, Cagayan de Oro. The said
experience allowed me to see the goodness, the loving kindness and compassion of our Loving
FATHER through the realities of the people’s lives, their openness and desire to know more
about Him so that they may be able to share Him to others. I really valued and appreciated the
fraternal- filiation that made each of us shared God’s mission to those who are in need. With
these, thank you F.I. sisters, thank you St. Candida and most especially thank you LOVING
FATHER. – Ms. Leah Esmino