Mission Animation
Pasaman and Payakumbuh - West Sumatra (12-17, 20-21/4). I thanked God that I could attend the missionary animation action in two parishes in West Sumatra, Holy Family Parish-Pasaman and St. Fidelis-Payakumbuh. Pasaman: A Trackback to the Past of Xaverian Mission The first journey of the mission animation is the Holy Family Parish - Pasaman. Going together with Fr. Amandus Regino Santoso, SX, Brother Erick, SX, Brother Rico, SX, and Brother Yoristo, SX, we introduced our beloved Xaverian Charism to the youths and the parishioners. At first, we stayed for three days in St. Mary station of Kinali, a station of Holy Family Parish. At this moment, we stayed with the family of this station.
After that, we went to the centre of the Parish. Since we had a chance to live with the people in their houses, we also gained experiences of how the people in Pasaman live their beautiful lives as Christians among Moslems, even though in the past, they experienced painful memories when they started building their church. As I listened to their stories, I could imagine how difficult living as a Christian was. The challenges did not put the fire of faith off, but it grew bigger and bigger. At some moment, during the personal talk, they shared that they remember wholeheartedly that the Xaverian missionaries were giving their whole lives for the life of the faithful. They were struggling together and not leaving their flock so that there would be a single sheep lost. This spirit is the one that I should ask God, to have the will as God's messenger.
During the day, we had scheduled to visit two primary Schools, Keluarga Kudus and Budy Setia Primary School. Many kids were interested in becoming priests. Although they are still young, and their journey is still long, I hope that in the future they can answer God's call as they were saying during the animation action. St. Fidelis Payakumbuh: Sow the Seeds and Let them Grow It was only two of us (Brother Yoris and I) who continued the journey to St. Fidelis Payakumbuh for the animation vocation. It was our first time to visit the parish and yet we could feel the warmth of the welcoming of our confrere, Fr. Franco, SX. On Saturday evening, during the mass, two of us and two OSF sisters got a chance to share our vocational journey. Many faithful were enthusiastic to listen to our story.
Even more, there were many kids cosplaying as priests, bishops, nuns, and brothers which gave a nuance to pray for the week of vocation. On Sunday mass, we did the same thing as on Saturday evening mass. The exciting thing was the activity after the mass. many youths gathered to have a short recollection of conventual life. As Xaverians, we explain to them what Xaverian is or how to be a Xaverian. Although the majority of the attendees were girls, I am proud that there were three youths who wanted to be a priest. In the end, I hope that our animation will bear fruit. I hope that there will be many youths who feel the call of God to serve as priests, nuns, or brothers. I cannot say many things, yet I believe that the seeds we sew, God will help them to grow.
