A time for me to be SILENT and to LISTEN

 (If you observe, silent and listen have the same letters…)

Luningning Alvarado                                   from the Philippines, professional catechist, is assigned in the Region of South America, with the local Group of Brazil, for a term of four years.

It has been more than two months since I arrived in the place where I become a child again. Becoming a child again means I should begin from the very start in learning not only the language but also to know and discover the place, the people and the richness of the culture here in Brazil.

At this time, I am learning Portuguese in Centro Cultural Missionario here in Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil. It is a center where we are not only learning the language but also to know the history, culture and aspirations of Brazilian people. The center is organized by Conferencia Nacional Bispos do Brasil (CNBB).

All together we are 12 from different countries (Poland, Paraguay, Honduras, Mexico, Ghana, Nigeria, Italy, Vietnam and Philippines). Most of my companions are priest and nuns from different congregations. On the first month, we had also 8 young companions from Germany who are willing to expose themselves into new realities outside from their country and also willing to share their blessings to others with joy and enthusiasm.

The first week was very hard for me to speak and to understand. Beyond these difficulties, I accept the reality that it is a time for me to be SILENT and to LISTEN (If you observe, silent and listen have the same letters…)

Like a child, as days passed by, I started to read and speak those new words I learned with the grammar; though many times I made mistakes, the perseverance is always there. I am always thankful to those people I speak with, every time they corrected me and taught me the correct pronunciation and right words to use. The teachers are willing to extend their time if we will ask some assistance and more understanding of a certain subject. People around us try to speak to us very slow, so that we can understand them even if it is not their pace of tlking.

Together with my teacher and classmates (Nigerian, Vietnamese and Filipino)

We had also a privilege to stay with one family that helped us to understand more Brazilians and it helped us much to practice what we have learned in the classroom grammatically speaking. I’m really thankful to the family who accepted me not only as visitor in their house but also considered me as new member of their family. For me, though I am far from my family, God extends my family and makes my family a bigger one.

Wearing a Traditional Korean dress during the thanksgiving celebration for the families who welcomed us.
 

Each day, there is an improvement in speaking, understanding, writing and reading. Each day, there are new realizations with the realities that I have seen and the people I have encountered. In fact, the days before I left and even the day I left Montreal, I was not that ready to leave. A lot of people asked me: “Are you ready?” And my answer was “YES” but, honestly, my heart was not that ready to leave the place that is so memorable and special to me and the people who are so dear to me…; but that is LIFE. I may be far from those people whom I care and love but they still remain in my heart and still connected with our prayers.

In this new quest, what keeps me persevere is my memories in Little Baguio Mission. I remember those days I climbed the mountains and crossed the river many times going to my mission area. I walked very slowly and many times I fell down in the mud; but there were always the hands of my students to help to stand up and to help me carry the things. Those hands are the hand s of God extending His help, love and care to me through them. Though I walked very slowly, I knew that I would arrive surely in the place where I am going and God was there present… Just like now, each day I learn and improve… God is still present, strengthening, helping, and teaching me new things through my new experiences and the new people around me. My new journey gives me a deeper understanding and meaning of my life as a person, as a child of God and as a missionary. Above all, my constant communication in prayer (community and personal) …makes me grow each day as His Child.

To God be the glory.

           We celebrated feasts for each continent. In the pictures, we were dancing Vietnamese and Mexican dance.