“The weekend gave me an opportunity for deep reflection of my role and how my organisation fits in this bigger picture. Also, how I can truly be a good ambassador of the values. May I be the light and instrument of God.” Christine, Good Shepherd partner

“Thank you for a wonderful experience.” Soh Lan, Good Shepherd partner

“It inspires and rejuvenates me to go about my work.” Good Shepherd partner

“Thank you for a meaningful weekend.” Good Shepherd partner

2nd and 3rd June, 2012 saw 57 Good Shepherd partners (sisters and lay partners) gathering together for a weekend to deepen our Good Shepherd spirituality and understanding of the Good Shepherd Mission. The theme of the weekend was “Living Out Good Shepherd Mission”. It was two days of fun-filled, meaningful activities with personal sharing of experiences of the Good Shepherd mission and what it means to be involved in the Good Shepherd mission.

Sharing with us their personal reflections following the Gathering are Good Shepherd partners from PKGS Teenage Centre.

From left are Sr Kelly Ngai, Sr Salomi Cruz, Willa Mowe, Mag Chin, Alona Aguila and Sr Angelina Peter

Mag Chin:

“The 3 layered tea input was very useful for me. It helped me to review my motivations and the purpose of my services in PKGS.

The 3 aspects (Spirit,Context, Expression) has deepened my own self understanding that I am an instrument of God. I learned that I need to ‘balance’ these 3 aspects. An imbalance may affect me and my work in PKGS.

Ultimately this wisdom from the 3 layered tea input has become a living principle for me which can be applied to all aspects of my life.”

Willa Mowe:

Putting the Spirit at the top of the funnel gives focus to why we do what we do. Our existence is by the will of the Spirit. We were spirits before we became human. God knew us before we were born as spoken in the book of Jeremiah – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” – So our purpose lies in the Spirit and is determined by the Spirit.

Having been reminded of this, we then looked at the Context at the middle of the funnel. Context gives clarity to what we do in the mission. How do we continue the works that started more than 150 years ago by St Mary Euphrasia without diluting or diverging from her charism and still responding to the needs of the times. Do we have the wisdom to discern the needs and not push our own needs in our agenda?

Expressions at the bottom of the funnel is our response as an organisation and an individual; our moments of truths as seen by the world we serve.

Each day is a struggle to balance our role in leading within the organisation:

– are we able to bridge/link our resources with the clients?

– are we really fulfilling needs or wants?

– are we able to step back every once in a while and see if we have been able to connect the dots?

– are we spineless squids who squirt ink randomly or pineapples with a good head, a strong core, and eyes all around.

God grant me wisdom!”

Trying their hands at making the 3-layered tea. Willa (above left) & Sr Kelly (above right).

Sr. Kelly Ngai:

“It doesn’t matter how we began or how we got involved in Good Shepherd Mission. What matters is that as we are involved in Good Shepherd Mission. Each of us play an important role in reaching out to others with compassion and merciful love. As we reach out to others, we ourselves are enriched by the experiences, we too learn to be better persons.

We are grateful for all those who came before us, started the Mission and are still alive in our times. Now, it is our responsibility to be daring, to evaluate and think critically, and to read the signs of the times of how Good Shepherd Mission is responding to the needs of the world.

As I sat down to reflect on the two days of Good Shepherd Partnership gathering, I recalled that in the beginning we were divided into groups for the ice-breaking session wherein we stood in a circle and reached out for the hands on the person standing across us. This resulted in a perfect tangle of hands which we must unravel without letting go of the hands we were holding! The group I was in played this game differently. We untangled ourselves in a creative way without letting go of each other’s hands. I gained a new insight from this creative way of playing the game. I learned that we all live in given structures and systems, norms in the society. We therefore fo,low the structures, the systems and the norms. Even though we may have questions, very often we will not nor do we dare to voice our questions or express our opinions. This new insight challenged me to ask questions and not to hesitate in expressing my opinions even if it is not popular.

We continue our search for new ways and expressions of reading the signs of the times to respond to the needs of the world today.”

Alona Aguila:

THE TREE OF UNITY AND HARMONY

The Spirit, Context and Expressions are needed to be in unity and harmony with one another to create a balance and thus respond accordingly to the call of the times.

Unity and harmony on these three areas are important to attract people to be part of the Good Shepherd Mission. There is a saying “by the tree, you will know”, if I put in a symbolic description of the Spirit it would be the roots, the trunk is the Context and the fruits are the Expressions.

I am initially attracted by the Expressions and so the image of the 3 layer tea has inspired me to create menus for the ministry I am in at the moment. If we have 20 girls, we needed to have 20 menus. Girl A might need more sugar, Girl B, might need more milk, Girl C needed less tea because each one of them are unique. To assess their needs with great respect and respond appropriately create a sense of gratitude within me. Indeed, “A Person is of more value that the whole world.” I am deeply touched on how we in the Teenage Centre team hold each girl where they are and journey with each one of them in their different phases. Each day I would ask myself “where is my energy coming from”? I firmly believe it is from My Shepherd God and St. Mary Euphrasia who called me to this mission and the amazing team where I belong. I am inspired and grateful!