We hoped that they will be able to witness to their faith in their daily lives as well as in proclaiming their beliefs through sharing of life and understanding of some basic Catholic teachings.
THE TEAM
Derek, Beatrice and Jeanny are members of MAT. Datina, Joannes and Yvonne are leaders of Sacred Heart Young Adults Prayer Group. Derek, Beatrice, Jeanny and Datina took time off their various ministries to be involved in the programme. Yvonne who teaches at a secondary school in Putatan had taken leave from work. Joannes joined in the weekends and evening after work.
We came together to prepare the programme and bonded with one another through a 2 day facilitators preparation programme before the PDF. We believe that the bonding and preparation had helped us to express community life in a more effective way as we were clear of each others’ expectations, values and passion. As the team came together to pray for the programme, we felt that the scripture in Psalm 1:3 would be the theme. Our desire is to see the participants to be “planted by streams of water that yields its fruits in its season”.
The facilitators took roles as teachers, sharing partners (one to one meetings with participants after every session), small group leaders, leading prayers of the liturgy of the hours, cooking, sports and games. All were involved in the outreach programmes including presentations such as a mime and a sign language dance.
THE PROGRAMME
The PDF would like to answer to the call of forming young people to be more equipped as they make decisions about their future. We want to see young Catholics enter into adulthood with a fuller knowledge of who God is, who they are, what the church is all about and what God is calling them to. The programme is designed in two phases where the first part consists of intense teaching and character formation while the second part prepared the participants to share their knowledge and experience in an outreach setting.
As it is a discipleship programme, the focus on community living was emphasised in the programme. The timetable is prepared in a wholistic approach as it includes not only times of prayer and teachings but also times of meal preparation, sports and fun evenings.
The final part of the programme was the outreach phase where we planned to visit two schools and organise an Evangelistic Outreach during Lifeline’s Lifenight on Friday evening.
A day before the programme, we planned to meet the parents of the participants, mainly to introduce to them the facilitators of the programme and to prepare them to receive their children back after the programme. We felt that it was important to prepare the parents so that the participants will not be lost in their experience of the programme but will be able to share and bring it home, with positive response from their parents.
THE PARTICIPANTS' FEEDBACK
The four participants, Dazie, Eleanor, Luke and Stephen, expressed that they were amazed at how the 9 days have changed their lives. All shared that the element of community living was important in living out the truth of what was shared in the teachings and prayer times. They also mentioned that the sharing partner times were essential in making concrete steps in responding to God.
The positive atmosphere of encouragement and no teasing policy in the programme was a very important element for them to be open to God and to one another. Every person was involved in serving one another and the expression of gratitude and encouragement was always present. Some areas that were put on roster were meal preparation, table set up, wash up and preparation of the little altar as the focus of the day.
Some of the elements of the programme were very important for the participants as they shared that they will practice them when at home. They are the Morning Prayer, Daily Scripture Reflection, encouragement, recipes and sports. The Honouring Night on the last day at the Annex in Montfort Kinarut had been the highlight for all as they were overwhelmed by the encouragement received on what we have seen in each person.
The participants kept the notes given of all that had been shared about them and treasured the realisation of their goodness and blessing to others. The outreaches at La Salle and SM St Francis Convent were good platforms for them to share their testimonies and bring the joy of being Catholics to the students.
The Evangelistic Night which was attended by various youth groups of Sacred Heart Parish. The participants will be connected to one of the youth groups to support them in their spiritual journey.
On the final day, we had mass and lunch as a closure for the event. The participants’ parents came for the event and were thrilled with the transformation in their children. One parent shared that she expected a small “mustard seed” in her daughter through the programme but has witnessed a whole jar instead.
