Thanksgiving Letter 2015 (updated on Mar 23, 2021)

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. (William Arthur Ward)

Happy Thanksgiving!

May God continue to bless you with good health, peace and joy!

          First of all, I want to thank you very much for all your support, love, gifts and especially your prayers as we celebrate Thanksgiving Day.    How is your Thanksgiving celebration? Our community was invited to celebrate Thanksgiving at Maryknoll Society House Hong Kong this evening.  It's a very nice celebration.

     It’s my farewell time at Holy Family Church these days as I will leave for USA on December 7, 2015 so I want to share the farewell story.

On my way to Shenzhen last Sunday morning, Ms. Liang asked me to arrive at the Church before Mass as she needs help.  Our community organized an open day last Saturday afternoon as part of the Year of Consecrated Life celebration so I went to Shenzhen last Sunday instead of Saturday. Not so long, Mrs. Liu also asked me to arrive as soon as possible because they are waiting for me.  I could guess that there would be a surprise for me.   I arrived just before “Our Father” and immediately Mrs. Liu asked me to sit with Ms. Liang in the front section.            
After announcing the couple’s gathering on Nov 28, Fr. Lu asked me to sit on the first pew because Ms. Luo, Mr. Wu and Ms. Xiong (who was intentionally removed her choir uniform and wore pink blouse) would share their appreciation on my voluntary works while showing the compilation of my pictures with parishioners.  Ms. Xiong then led the choir to sing “不简单的路”（=not a simple road） and gave her gifts. Mr. Li, the leader of parish council, expressed his appreciation including on the presentation about “How to build together the Holy Family Church" and asked me to come back next year.  Fr. Lu also expressed his appreciation and asked me to come back besides sharing how I love the parishioners.  Fr. Lu asked me to speak so I said that I am grateful for what God prepares for me at Holy Family Church: the parishioners are generous, care and understand my limitation on Putonghua.  I couldn’t hold my tears.  Two children presented a card from the Sunday’s School Team, Mr. and Mrs. Fan with their daughter presented a pink rose bouquet and then Mr. Li gave a Holy Family Statue.  Here is the link of the video of the pictures: https://youtu.be/kVKErS3Gxo4

          Several parishioners expressed their gratitude after Mass and wish I will come back.  After praying with a non-Catholic guy, whom we visited at the hospital two weeks ago, I went to the back of the Church as the children and parishioners were waiting for the gathering.  Mrs. Cai provided a pink cake for the gathering.  Ms. Huang asked me to make a wish while Fr. Lu invited all of them to sing “祝你平安”（=Peace be with you）.  It’s really a big surprise, which was organized by several youth.

          After the celebration, we had a meeting for youth gathering.  I expressed my gratitude for their help, informed the summary of survey and gave some guidance in planning for the 2016 gatherings.  Then, I divided them in small groups and asked each group to write a youth gathering plan and they are ready with 6 plans!  They always did more than I thought for surprise requests of e.g. pick up the cigarette butt on the street in doing charity work and gave away the bookmark on the street in doing evangelisation work.   

          Then, Fr. Lu, several parishioners and I attended Mass at the Christ the King Church of Bao An District for the feast of Christ the King followed by dinner, rosary prayer and Mass at Holy Family Church.

        Mrs. Wu and her husband invited me for hot pot dinner after evening Mass as she missed the dinner with her circle and me on Nov 9.  The Sunday’s School Teachers invited for lunch last Sunday.  
   Here is the link of the pictures: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EbuWrFm4ZM2aj 

          Ok...that's it for now.  Once again, Thank you very much!  Terima kasih banyak!  多谢你！

Hong Kong, November 26, 2015

with love and prayer,

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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

Dec 4, 2015:

Fr. Lu and 8 parishioners accompanied me to go back to our convent on Dec 1, 2015.  Fr. Gabriel, MG was our host at St. Theresa’s Church.   One of the youth Ms. Xu visited our convent in the evening as she is working in Hong Kong. 

Sharing: Symposium on the Influence of Christianity in the Chinese Society

http://www.chinacatholic.org/News/show/id/33516.html

Sharing: The Second Volunteer Training of Holy Family Church

Almost 20 volunteers attended the second volunteer training of Holy Family Church on November 8 after Sunday Morning Mass.  Fr. Lu taught the song “请你告诉我该如何爱你“（Qing Ni Gao Su Wo Gai Ru He Ai Ni=Please tell me how should I love You）.  Fr. Lu gave the welcome note and led the opening prayer by sing “请你告诉我该如何爱你”

I started the training by showing part of the first training survey result and then gave presentation on “How to build together Holy Family Church?”   I edited part of presentation on “How to build a Parish together with Parishioners” and “The Duty of a Catholics” by Ms. Yang Yu Lian for a Parish Management workshop in Maryknoll Stanley House Hong Kong.   As usual, I asked the participants to read part of the presentation.

After lunch, we watched the washing of the feet ceremony by Pope Francis while listening to John 13: 1-15 and then washed the next person’s feet and also pray for her/him followed by a quiet reflection.  There was small group sharing and report to the whole group.  

 Fr. Lu gave the summary and gave a blessing.   Two of them brought forward the drawing of small group sharing as one of the offering at the anticipated Sunday Mass.  Several volunteers were volunteering for the Mass while the rest went home.

Three participants will give presentation on “How to build together Holy Family Church” in three different Masses on the following week end.

Here is the link of the pictures: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EbuWrFm4ZM2YY

Hong Kong, November 12, 2015

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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

Sharing: 2015 Maryknoll Sisters Asia East World Section Meeting

          Four sisters and I left for Jeju Island on Oct 7, 2015 to attend our bi-annually Maryknoll Sisters Asia East World Section Meeting.  

There were presentations about “FAO and One Earth Community” by Sr. Teresa Dagdag, MM, “Korean Shamanism” by Dr. Hae Kyoung Koh, Ph.D including one day field trip to Shaman sites on Jeju island, “Vocation” by Sr. Lourdes Fernandez, MM, sharing from Congregational Leadership Team by Srs. Teruko Ito and Anastasia Lott besides open space technology and updates on regions.

The evening activities were DVD “Symphony of the Soil” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5QYZ-LRXW4), simplicity night to celebrate our foundress Mother Mary Joseph’s death anniversary, and sharing the field trip experience.

Maryknoll Affiliates Korea not only joined part our activities but also helped the preparation and during the meeting, especially Ms. Monica.

Fr. Jerry Cotter, SSC celebrated the Sunday Mass while Jeju priest Fr. Emmanuel celebrated the daily Masses.  Each region took turn to prepare our morning prayers.

All the younger sisters went for outing to Sunrise Peak and Yongduam Rock besides a meeting about our gathering and collaboration especially in vocation ministry.

It’s a fruitful meeting as it gives me better understanding about our Maryknoll matters, Shamanism and Food Problem besides the opportunity to exchange stories with the rest of the group.   Thank you very much! 

          Here is the link of about Korean Shamanism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_shamanism and the pictures: https://www.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EbuWrFm4ZM2X1&emid=shareprintviewer&linkid=link

           

Hong Kong, October, 16, 2015

           

Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.

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