Challenge and blessing

By Vincent Doherty C.Ss.R.

Coming out of the Australian winter of July 1966, and into the tropical heat of the Philippines, was a severe experience of climate change.

But that was only the start of it. There were many further changes to face:

• a new language to learn;
• new thought patterns to master;
• new cultural expressions to understand and adopt;
• new demands in the work of evangelisation                                 

I had stepped out of the every-day assumptions of Australian democracy and found myself knee-deep in martial law. How would I respond? As a foreigner, how could I respond?

New Gospel challenges opened up to me:

• to conscientise the people in their daily experiences;
• to take up the challenge of the Asian Bishops to build communities of faith and action among the people.

New questions arose for me:

• How will Redemptorists, in these particular circumstances, proclaim the Good News of Christ?
• How will we evangelise the people so that they would become agents for change in their own environment?

I found myself outside my comfort zone, yet energised for something far beyond it. It became a matter of listening more closely to the people and to the Lord.
                               
When I began preaching missions in the Philippines I saw myself as giving to the people. Now I realise I am receiving from them, being evangelised by them.

I observe that the people:

• live very frugally and yet remain joyful and hopeful;
• share necessities and practice hospitality;
• enjoy each others company in simple ways;
• are willing to fight oppression at great personal risk and sacrifice.

My life on the foreign missions has faced me with these new experiences. They have been both a challenge and a blessing.