my long overdue entry: on CONGA

CLC CONGA: 2 days of national convention and 3 days of general assembly
April 9-13, 2005, horacio dela costa formation center, trese martires, cavite

two weeks ago, i took part in a life-changing event. it did not mean that there was an explicitly miraculous thing that happened to me. the life-changing and miracle part of this event came to me in trickles -- para akong dahong unti-unting nababasa ng mahinang bagsak ng ambon.

it was a one week event. my intentions of going there is simply to talk to one of the elders that has been a very good influence in my life as a clcer. i took the cost-efficient yet difficult way in. i volunteered for the secretariat such that i can participate and attend the event for free but i did not know what i was getting myself into. it was all work. it was all desolating work. however, as the event came closer, i was feeling a sense of relief - a feeling that something good was going my way and i just need to be very patient and trusting.

finally, i came to trese martires one day before all the other delegates and participants. of course. we had to prepare the materials, the place, the equipment and all the necessary logistics for the event. before i really did my job, i atttended the mass with the youth and it marked a good beginning of this one week event.

after preparations, my first day in the venue ended. it was tiring but it was also relaxing. i got to bond with my youth friends and at the same time, i am very excited for the coming days.

the first of the five days came. i was very much excited. although i was the only young male in the group of the secretariat, which makes me very vulnerable to the commands of the oldies to carry all these equipment and to assemble, install and all the necessary outside logistics, i came in the event with an open heart. clc ito eh, hindi lang ito basta pagpupulong, meron pa. tiyak 'yon. i had this in heart speaking from my aclc experience.

i don't want to narrate everything because i will tend to focus on details. i just want to share that even though i did not have the right intentions and disposition in the beginning and even though i was complaining most of the time before this even began, I got tons of graces from God. in the end, He provided for me. i entered with a trusting, loving and open heart for Him to fill. He filled me up to the brim.

looking back, i can say that i went through a very grace-filled experience. i believe, after the conga, i became a better person and a better clcer - aclcer.

why?
1. i learned to love the ignatian spirituality more and it challenged me to practice it even more.
2. i learned to be in touch with my feelings more.
3. i am gradually becoming less analytical and critical and instead, i am gradually becoming more of a feeling individual sensitive to the movement of the spirit and trying to be aware where God is leading me.
4. i am becoming more prayerful.
5. i love the examen and prayer points in the evening.
6. i am challenged by the call for us in the clc conga - to be with the poor, to continue our evangelization, etc.
7. i am part of a community.
8. resources are abundant.
9. it is a continuously enriching clc experience that i am called to share with my aclc community.
10. i can say that i am a more trusting, loving, open and patient individual.
11. i learned strategic planning in the light of clc.
12. the church is beautiful because christ is there and he loves us.
13. what have i done? what am i doing? what more can i do? what more?
14. i never knew that in such a setting, i will be filled by the overwhelming feeling of God's magnificent and unconditional love, manifested in others and in His movement.
15. basta marami pa... hehe... alam ko lang marami na akong pwedeng ibahagi at alam ko maraming pagbabago ang nangyari sa buhay ko at sa pagkatao ko na mas mapapalapit pa ako kay Hesus.

too many to mention
too much to handle
but the fact still remains...
from the talks of fr. danny to bishop tagle
to the interactions with different regions
to the experiential and reflective sharing of people
to the regional sharing and regional buzz
to the consciousness examen, mass and prayer points
to the fellowship
to the openness to the movement of the spirit
to the lc elections
to the new friends
everything is grace
one community. one way of life.
christian life community.

i know why i am here.
i am called to be an instrument.
i am being filled so that i can share some more.

thank you, lord, for such a blessed experience.