Sharing: One Week in Yuen Long

As part of the orientation to the China region, I visited my sisters in Yuen Long, New Teritory. Sr. Michelle and I left Boundary Street convent on March 22, 2010. We visited Huy Tay on our way to Yuen Long as Sr. Michelle would give her preparation in Cantonese as her daughter would be baptized.

I attended daily mass at St. Jerome’s Church in Cantonese at 7.30 a.m. except for the Feast of the Annunciation in St. Peter and Paul’s Church. Sr. Michelle used to work at St. Jerome’s Church.

Sr. Michelle, Sau Fong and I went to Hong Kong Flower Show 2010 at Victoria Park on the next day. There was a booth of Consulate General of Indonesia. Victoria Park is a gathering place for the Indonesian migrant workers on Sundays.

I had Paschal meal in Cantonese at Shung Tak Catholic English School. There were a roasted lamb, bitter herb, pita bread, grape juice, salted water and rice.

Paschal meal re-lives the ancient story of Israel’s redemption from bondage and the liberation of the people. The Old Testament instructed them to gather each year on the eve of the Passover to celebrate God’s saving activity and relate this thrilling chapter in the history of Salvation of God’s chosen people. Jesus took this meal, a saving meal for all the Jews and he made it into a saving meal for all of us. He added his own sacrifice and blood, to the symbolic sacrifice of the lamb and the lamb’s blood. There are special table setting and menu which echoes of the past and reminders of the present.

I joined Sr. Michelle, Christine, several other volunteers to visit Caritas Jockey Club Lai King Rehabilitation Centre. It’s a centre for around 400 mentally disable persons. There was a liturgy and short talk followed by performance from several residents.

I made a stir fried fish ball, pepper and vegetable from one of the schools for lunch. It’s my first time to cook in Hong Kong.

As Sr. Michelle teaching religious education in Cantonese at Cho Yiu Catholic Primary School for grade 4, I joined the class.

I had supper with Fr. Joseph, Fr.Guillermo, MG, Fr. Paul, MEP and Sr. Michelle at St. Stephen’s Church after a Cantonese RCIA class. I visited Diocesan Youth Commission and hosted by Fr. Paul, the chairman, who gave information about the commission and the video of 4^th Asian Youth Day 2006 in Hong Kong.

I helped to prepare Paschal meal for St. Stephen’s Church including cooking the gravy and setting up the table. There were bitter herb, lettuce, roasted lamb, pita bread, charosee, egg, grape juice, salted water, rice and chicken wing, chop suey for around 50 persons. It’s in Cantonese but I had the English version. I used to have Paschal meal in Chicago. Sau Fong and I prepared the flower for the table and the Palm Sunday procession.

St. Stephen’s Church organized the first Palm Sunday procession on the street. It’s around one hour. There were around 400 parishioners with several banners. I was moved when they started to sing in Cantonese.

There is a Cantonese mass at Rosary Chapel on the last Sunday of the month. It’s in the same compound with the convent. I was moved during the pot luck meal and then I remembered the pot luck meal in Chicago with the Indonesians

Sr. Agnes invited my sisters and I for dim sum at her community Fraternity of the Little Sisters of Jesus on March 29, 2010 morning. There were Sr. Claudia, who lives in Macau, and Sr. Madelein.

Sr. Michelle showed Shenzhen Bay from Lau Fau Shan before heading to Boundary Street Convent.

I met Fr. Joseph at St. Cosmas and Damian and also Dominic-a CICM seminarian-and Noel both from Congo.

Thank you very much for your warm welcome, hospitality, gifts, and especially your prayers during my stay in Yuen Long, a rural side of Hong Kong. May God continue to bless you in your missionary journey.

Kowloon Tong-Hong Kong, April 3, 2010

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

Let’s do simple things with simple love to make God’s love visible