By: Rodora Ochoa Uguil
A Filipina visit her priest-uncle in Thailand
Rodora and Estrella mother and daughter from Isabela, Negros Occidental made a five weeks visit to Thailand to see Fr. Leo S.D.B who is Rodora’s uncle and Estrella’s younger brother. Rodora’s account below tells of how they also visited many of the Filipino missionaries in Thailand.
By: Fr. Efren de Guzman
For more than fifteen years Angola, in Southern Africa, has been wrack by civil was. The Marxist government was backed by Cuba and Russia while the rebels led by Tomas Savimbi were backed by U. S. and South Africa. Now that the cold war is over, peace is beginning to break out or at least the fighting is stopping. Fr. Efren de Guzman, a Filipino priest working in Angola assesses the problems and the challenge to the Church in helping to serve them. It seems in many places the Church is an institution with credibility which can help heal wounds and build peace.
Cease Fire
The Peace Treaty of May 31, 1991 brought about a great euphoria and the hope to the Angolans. This allowed them free movement in almost all places of the nation without fear of ambuscades and land-mines.
After-War Chaos
In the midst of all this joy, certain incidents surfaced in some places, a natural consequence of the 16 years of insinuations, vengeance, robbery, violence and hatred.
They say here in Ghana, almost everything is possible. One late night, coming from the villages, a big car fully loaded with charcoal was stuck on the road. As I approached, a man stood on the road, knelt down, plead the back of his right hand on the top of his opened left palm and started pleading my moving his right wrist up and down against his opened left palm (a Ghanaian way of pleading for help). Moved with pity, I stopped and heard a woman moaning somewhere: I tried to decipher from where the moaning was coming. It turned out it was a woman in labor on the top of that charcoal. Luckily, my Nissan was empty. Gently, we placed her inside, I spoked to her in Twe ( the local language): “If you deliver in the car, if the baby is a born we should call Him Nissan if a girl – Nissana” Thank God we made it to the hospital without a mishap. A month later, a woman came knocking at my door. “Please Father, I came to show you Joseph,” Joseph? What do you mean?” “Father, do you remember that night you took a woman on the road to the hospital? I was the one.” Filled with joy, I leaned over and saw the child was lovely, beautiful and cute with a name neither Nissan not Nissana but Joseph. Happy Birthday Joseph. Welcome to the world.
By: Gabriela Chin
A Columban Lay Missionary
Gabi, a Korean lay missionary, working with the Columbans in Manila tells a little story about her encounter with Isagani a handicapped Muslim staying at Balay Kakayaban - a special training home for the handicapped.
By: Sr. Ma. Therecilla, RVM
The RVM sister uses skills learned working in Mindanao to enhance family life in Brong Ahafo, Ghana
Friend of Joeker
Father Joe Panabang, the Joker has said much about many happenings, funny as well as sad experiences in his mission work here in Ghana. I am in the same Diocese with Fr. Joe but we are far from each other. I’m sure this Chrism Mass he’ll come as all he priests are expected to come.
A local newspaper in Botswana, Africa, visits a Filipino madre and likes what she’s doing.
“SISTER OF MERCY”: The Botswana newspaper report
SISTER MARY JO
Sister Marie Jose Garcia, or Sister Mary Jo as she is more usually called, is a very special person. Her name and work are becoming well known in Francistown, and many refer to her as the ‘Sister who helps the poor.’ We recently visited her to find out more.
By: Francisco Fernandez
The Portuguese occupied Timor around the time the Spaniards came to the Philippines. Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975 and suddenly the East Timorese had to make a choice between Christianity and Islam. Many people missionaries have stayed with the people in this time of trial. It is particularly. Many people missionaries have stayed with the people in this time of trial. It is particularly difficult for a missionary, who as a foreigner must remain outside the local processes.
By Sister Judith Malon, OSA
We are Agustinian Sisters Working in the Mountains of Taiwan
Yawee
When we first arrived we were introduced to Yawee, a close friend of Fr. Barry the parish priest of Ching Chuan. Yawee is in his late thirties now, married and has six children now, the youngest of which was given for adoption. He sometimes accompanies us when we visit families in the evening, giving a helping hand to my sister companion who could hardly manage to climb hills. Yawee had a drinking problem. He wanted to stop drinking and here’s his strange story.
