Monday, May 24, 2004
Family Resurrected
Looks just like us, almost :)
I have been waiting for my Family Encounter for some time now. Since last year, I was already eager to join FE with the thought that it would be very healthy for our family to do so. I was dismayed when we weren't able to have it last year. But God had His reasons why He wanted us to be at the Bukas Loob Sa Diyos Covenenant House in Dasmarinas, Cavite last May 21 - 23.
After myriads of problems that recently plagued our families, there was no better time to have our FE than now. It is even an irony that during the week before the weekend, we were experiencing heavy bouts of conflicts and quarrels. I thought we wouldn't be able to attend especially when my parents had a quarrel right before we left home last Friday afternoon. God was even testing me when my Mom scolded me halfway through the travel. Obviously, I became mad but the first sight of the Covenant House had its own ways to heal a broken heart.
For two and a half days, we were asked to stay as a family, walk as a family, eat as a family, pray as a family, and talk as a family since there was a No Socializtion Rule which wasn't strictly followed except during the last day. The rule was very difficult to follow since I had many friends in the sponsoring class.
On the first night, we were asked to draw a family poster. Here we will draw a figure that best symbolizes our family. It was a difficult activity to do, specially when the whole family rooted for me to think. After a couple of my suggestions, we agreed upon drawing the human body. The brain symbolizes me (which was so egotistical of me), the face for Paolo, the hands for Mommy, and feet for Dad. Then, each family was asked to explain the poster. The next day, we were required to wake up at the sound of the bell (reminds me of the retreat in Capuchin) at around 6 am. Here, I discovered my love for Blue Skies Crackers (which I find myself munching whenever there is a break). The first activity is for each father of the family to shout "God loves us, we're special". The dads were funny with their own "pakulos". When it was my Dad's turn, I hid in my jacket(it was very cold inside the conference room) kasi nahihiya ako. For the whole day, we listened to talks by the spiritual director, Father Ric. Each was followed by a sharing by a presenting family(there were 2 presenting families who alternated for each talk). After each series of talk and sharings, we were asked to do an activity. Each activity for every topic was different from the other. Generally, we evaluate our family and its problems, then, we write a love letter addressed to the family. After writing the letter, we are to have a dialogue wherein each member of the family reads his/her letter to the family. This was done in a family circle which started and ended in a prayer. I noticed that I always had the longest love letters but Mom is always the one to cry while reading hers.
At first, the family dialogue was a little difficult and "nakaka-ilang". Especially because I will be talking about the deepest concerns that I have with my family which I only say to a very few people. It is also odd because it seems as if all the talking that we are doing for the past three days were more than all the 16 years combined. But afterwards, I became more comfortable and enlightened.
last Saturday night, there was this part called Let's Take a Break. This is the time wherein the sponsoring class, FE 78, had a showcase of talents (na sobrang benta sa akin tulad nung TIKOY with matching actions, yung Flintstones and Sound of Music impersonations, at yung angels gimik). Then, each family in our class were to perform the cheer and skit which we were asked to prepare an hour before the program. Before the showcase, at dinnertime, I had no appetite since I was thinking on what cheer to do and how we can "make a skit that involved making the song "You Were Always There" (a very dramatic religious song) into a videoke video". After much brain-brewing I came up with a familiar cheer:
Kami, Castanar Family, gwapo,
Matatalino, beauty
Kahit may away, happy (with matching corny actions that reminded me of Filipino class with Gng. De Leon)
Then, I was also able to come up with a skit. While directing my family, I found out that it is more difficult to instruct my family than to instruct my Filipino group. Nevertheless, we were able to perform the cheer and skit. Afterwhich, I felt so embarass kasi naman ang dilim dun sa venue tapos nakatapat sa amin yung spotlight. Tapos, may pakulo rin dapat yung skit, ginawa kong mala Video-okray na mejo extempo at nagmukha pa akong bading. Oh well, at least it was fun fun fantastic!!!
After the Let's Take A Break was the last opportunity to socialize becasue the next day, the rule is to be implemented. So I talked to my girlie friends for a while. Then, it was bedtime at around 12:30 am.
The next day, we had the grand dialogue. This is the all-out opening up of all the members of the family. of course, I can help but cry, and so did my parents but not Paolo. Our grand dialogue covered almost all issues possible. I discovered a lot about my family. After sharing all my concerns and sheding my tears, I felt good. It was as if my family became an exisitng entity once again.
After the grand dialogue was the anointing. We were anointed by the priest with holy oil in front of the blessed sacrament wherein I can't help but break down into tears. Then, we annointed one another, wherein more tears were shed.
The weekend concluded with a mass (our family was asked to read the 1st reading) and a final presentation of the sponsoring class (which was uber cool!!). Then, our family, and 3 others, were named family coordinators of our class. We graduated and each member of the sponsoring class shook our hands. Nakakatuwa yung iba kasi tinatanong nila yung school ko, yung iba tanong kung Xavier ba ako o Zobel. Tapos, meron pang lola na tawag sa akin ay Mr. Suave! Basta nakakatuwa!!
Before we left the covenant house, the 4 coordinating families met with the shepherd family. We talked about plans for the reunion. Then, I felt the pressures of sponsoring FE 82 next year. But oh well, we still have a year to prepare and we have each other naman to rely on.
As I now look back to the three days of encountering with my family and with my God, I can say that the Lord is trully great. I would never have the weekend in any other way. It was as if before the FE, our family was dead and after three days, we have resurrected, just like Jesus did. God is so good. He works in very mysterious ways. His love has worked not only for the presenting families who shared how God became the center of their families but also within my family and with 15 other families who belong to FE 80. Each family found new friends. Each family found healing in God. Each person found love in God and in his/her family. Each heart found reconciliation.
Thank God for the Family Encounter.
Praise God!!!
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