Sharing: Home Visit 2014

As there was a family matter, I went to hometown, Jombang, on Oct 10, 2014.  For sure, I am grateful to my community that I could spend my vacation and annual retreat in Indonesia this year.

  I had a chance to meet my family, relatives and friend in Madiun, Sidoarjo, Mojosari and Tulungagung.  I also had a chance to meet several friends at Museum Gallery Misi Surabaya http://museummisi.org/.

I went to the Post Graduate Seminary of the Vincentian Fathers in Malang on Oct 17 – 25 for my annual retreat.  I attended the daily Eucharist with the seminarians and said the morning and evening prayer privately.  I had a chance to share a little bit about my vocation journey and Maryknoll Sisters including my pink habit with the seminarians as I had delicious meals, three times rice meals, with them. 

            Prof. Dr. Armada Riyanto, CM, retreat master, gave reflection on Jn 4: 1- 30 Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman, Gn 22: 1-19  Abraham tested, Lk 5: 1-11 Jesus Calls His First Disciples, Ex 3: 1 – 4: 17 Moses at the Burning Bush, Jn 17: 1 -26 Jesus Prays for His Disciples, Lk 24: 13-35 The Road to Emmaus.  Fr. Armada also asked me to reflect on part of the books “Sahabat-sahabat Tuhan dan Orang Miskin (=Friends of God and the Poor),” “Interreligious Dialogue and Formation” and “Menjadi-Mencintai (=Being-Loving).”   I couldn’t hold my tears when I read personalized Jn 17: 1-26.   I attended the study day at School of Philosophy and Theology Widya Sasana Malang on Oct 25 with the theme “Dimana Letak Kebahagiaan (=Where is Happiness)?"  It was presented from Philosophical, Biblical, Historical and Empirical views and was very well attended by the priests, sisters, seminarians, and lay people from several cities nearby.  I also reflected this topic during the retreat, and my answer is in doing God’s will so I am convinced, again, to continue my vocation journey, as a Maryknoll Sister.   

            The seminarians prepared a birthday celebration for one of the seminarians and a farewell for me by having second dinner on Oct 24.  They bought fried duck and cooked fettuccine besides giving me a pink pig toy as a farewell gift.        

It’s really a blessing to be home at this time, to experience again God’s presence in my life through my family, relatives, and friends, and especially the annual retreat.

 

Hong Kong, November 8, 2014

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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