May 2008 - Vol. 19

20 Days...One God by Ian Belmonte “20 days away from the comforts  of the city,  away from family, and from the life I knew. Those were extraordinary days. 20 extraordinary days.” For two weeks last May, a household of single young men and a household of single young women, all members of Christ's Youth in Action in Manila, Philippines, lived and served among the poor in a Bataan barrio in the Parish of San Isidro.  One member shares his life-changing experience.

Salamat (Thank You) CYA! They lived among us. They showed the poor farmers the beauty and meaning of their poverty. They ate what we ate. They walked our dusty roads and rode our tricycles. They painted our chapels and soiled their shirts in the process. They breathed our fresh breeze. They drank from the wells of our joys and pains. They taught us the meaning of  the Scriptures. "The Word pitched his dwelling among us." They bore witness among us. The poor with whom they lived started to ask, "If they chose to live among us, there must be something special in us that they have seen!" They lived among us and made us feel how blessed we were in our poverty. There was a soft glow on their faces that we could not understand. They seemed to be happy all the time. They seemed ready to sing praise songs in the midst of their daily schedule. It seemed like they were being paid in millions for the service they were doing for the community. They looked like teenagers of a toothpaste ad whose smiles were permamently fixed on their faces. What's with this group of young men and women? Why do our hearts warm when we see them? We have seen the face of Jesus in them. And when they left,  we were sad. We were not sure if we would meet again. We only know that from May 9-21, 2006, the poor farmers of Pilar were visited by Jesus. When God wants to bless his people, he sends them loving people. This brief encounter of a few days is enough to make us look forward to eternity in heaven.   + Bishop Soc Villegas Roman Catholic Bishop of Pilar, Bataan

20 DAYS LIVED IN A BARRIO
Bataan Summer Household started on May 2 and ended May 21,2006. 20 days away from the comforts of the city, away from family, and from the life I knew. Those were extraordinary days. 20 extraordinary days.

19 QUICK BATHS
One couldn't afford to take long baths in a household of 16 single young men. Schedules were tight and there were 15 brothers waiting outside for their turn to use one bathroom. Insignificant as it may sound, it was one way we cared for one another. We kept clean and did it quickly.

18 BEDLESS NIGHTS
I chose a sleeping position and closed my eyes. I would wake up the next morning in the same position. Changing positions was too much for a skinny person like me. My bones slammed on the floor with every movement, so that in the beginning, I hardly sleep. I needed to get used to it to get enough rest. Every day was hard work. 18 bedless nights. 18 blessed nights. At least, I was given time to rest. I should be thankful for that.

17 DISHWASHING DUTIES IN A MONTH
That was an accomplishment because at home I barely helped in the kitchen. We took turns doing the household chores. Everyone got the chance to experience dishwashing, cooking, and shopping. I washed dishes 17 times in a month. It wasn't hard and I discovered that a simple service could also be a noble task.

16 YOUNG MEN
“How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133). We were brothers living in one house. It was pleasant and we were pleased to be together sharing our life with each other. I used to sing this song from Psalm 133. Here, I experienced it. 16 young men gave meaning to that verse. I was proud to be among them.

15 TEACHINGS
We were given 15 teachings vital for our formation. Sometimes we struggled to listen attentively. It was hard to focus on the speaker on a full stomach or from lack of sleep. 15 teaching sessions after a day's work was hard. The teachings are in my notebook. Some are in my head, others are in my heart. The rest are still there in the notebook.

14 EPISODES OF MY FAVORITE SHOW
Watching television has always been part of my daily routine. I could spend most of my day in front of it. I have missed 14 episodes of my favorite show and found that it wasn't all that significant.

13 SOILED SHIRTS
I brought enough shirts for the entire household. I had enough clean shirts. When I went back home, I had 13 soiled shirts that I wore during the days we worked. 13 shirts soiled with perspiration, paint, dust, and dirty hands. 13 shirts, now washed and cleaned, that carried stories which remind me of where I had been.

12:00 MIDNIGHT
Lights out at 12:00 PM. Some would have fallen asleep by then. Others were still playing or conversing. I was usually awake. I knew I needed to get enough rest for another long day ahead. I was reflecting where I got the strength to do what I did that day. It was tiring. At 12 midnight, I was awake thanking God.

11 PERSONAL TESTIMONIES
At dinner everybody would be eating except for one. He was probably preparing for his sharing. After everyone had eaten they would listen to him. Everyone was given the chance to share his personal testimony. I heard 11 personal testimonies in all; ten at the dinner table and one from a casual conversation. It was good to hear 11 personal testimonies that inspired and affirmed God's consistent work in each of our lives.

10 BARRIOS VISITED
Before we started working, we went to the chapels of 10 barrios. Life was hard but the people there were happy and satisfied. God loves the poor and I saw it in their faces.

9 WORKING DAYS SPENT WITH THE KIDS OF BATAAN
There were several chapels to refurbish and twenty days to accomplish it. 50 high school scholars of Bataan were sent to help us.We spent nine days working with them. Our patience was tested. In the end we connected with fifty kids who wanted a change in their lives. They changed our lives, too.

8TH OF MAY
May 8 was a Monday, our movie night. Mondays were rest days. The movie put most of us to sleep. We rested on Monday night.

7 CHAPELS REFURBISHED
Seven chapels needed to be refurbished. Under the scorching heat of the sun, we scraped and cleaned the walls. But it was more than a matter of prepping and painting. We were tested for endurance, self-control, patience, faithfulness, even brotherhood. If it were not for God's work in each of us, we could have not accomplished our goals.

6 HOURS OF SLEEP
We slept at twelve midnight and woke up six hours later, enough to refuel us for the challenges of a new day. Six hours of sleep meant 18 waking hours. Six hours of a hard floor to lie on while enduring a brother's loud snore. Six hours break from laughing, brotherly banter, play, and work.

5 GREAT MEN WHO LED US
There were five men who led us in the household. They had integrity and walked their talk. I think of them as great men for teaching ordinary people to live extraordinary lives.

4TH OF MAY
On May 4, a Thursday, household action groups were formed. We did not leave our struggles and personal concerns in Manila but took them with us into the household. The household was an opportunity to grow personally and the action group helped it to happen.

3 CHOICES
When the school year ended I had three choices on how to spend my vacation. I could have stayed home and rested for two months. I could also have applied for a summer job and earned while gaining experience. Or I could join the Summer Household. I am thankful I made the choice where the demands were great but the rewards were even greater.

2ND EXPERIENCE I WOULD NOT FORGET
This was the second time I participated in a summer household. It was as life-changing, life-giving, and as memorable as the first.

1 GOD SERVED
20 days, 16 men, 10 chapels, 1 town, l summer household, and 1 God served. Those days may be history now but it has laid the groundwork for my future. 

[This article originally appeared in True North Magazine, a publication of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon, a member community of the Sword of the Spirit in Manila, Philippines. Used with permission.] 
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