In a Place, called "Peace"

A WELCOMING ENTRANCE. The Peace Place in Central Java, Indonesia

I made a blog (http://frenceboiser.blogspot.com/) during my preparation and before I came to join the Alternatives to Violence Project Workshop at Peace Place in Pati, Central Java, Indonesia. From the reflection article I wrote, entitled, “Mission to a Place called Peace,” I started saying, “There is always a room for peace,” and ended it stating, “May the room wherein I will stay in the coming days create more rooms for peace after the workshop.” 

Indeed, after a week-long stay and immersion in Central Java last March 14 to 23, I can say that I did not finish my mission but instead it is all just starting. Today, I hope to begin to create a room for peace. I would like to share my reflection in three-fold. First, is all about the community experience that I had with the gentle people in Pati. Second, is my personal learning experience covering the three workshops on Basic AVP, Trauma Healing and Developmental Play. Lastly, is all about my plan of action or next steps and how I can personally integrate the learnings that I got out of the workshops I attended.

My Community Experience in Pati, Central Java

With Leili, one of my Muslim Friends
who volunteers at Peace Place

            I came to Indonesia for the first time and I knew that even though it is a Southeast Asian member-nation, it has a different culture and more so it has a majority Muslim population which is completely opposite to where I came from. I found it interesting, that even though I am very much open to interreligious dialogue and immersion, I still had doubts on how I can blend and understand the way my Muslim friends deal with their day to day living. I believe that these doubts came from the fear of terror I always see from the media which was associated to the difficult situations usually taking place in the predominantly Muslim areas in Southern Philippines. But, the first day of my stay in Peace Place changed it all. Most of my co-participants were Muslims and all of them are now my friends. The transforming experience is my testimony that friendship and peace takes place beyond borders, culture and even religions.

            During my free times in Pati, I walked around the village and proved that peace is truly possible in my country especially to the places always associated with terror and fear. I continue to pray as the peace process in Mindanao will yield fruits to create lasting harmony with our Muslim brothers and sisters. I am thankful to the genuine openness, acceptance and humility of my Muslim friends in Indonesia. During the workshops with them, I was able to appreciate more their religiosity and respect towards each other

           

ALL SMILES. Selfie shot with the kids of Peace Place after a fun-learning workshop.

Another memory treasure that I wanted to share is the gentleness of the Mennonites Community. I was able to attend two Sunday services with them and later found out that they are a minority in Indonesia. It is inspiring to know that even though they are quite small in terms of membership, they foster country-wide peace-building programs and activities. One great thing I learned from the Mennonites is the value of goodness and that each one is a blessing from above. Sharing the goodness and blessings are keys for lasting peace.

            Joining some of the facilitators and participants in a Quaker Meeting on Sunday afternoon was an experience of joy in silence. It was my first time to be with a Quaker gathering. It was a simple service yet in communion with the inner spirit and recognizing the inspiration of each present member in a circle.

My Personal Learning Experience on Peace Place Workshops

            The Basic AVP, Trauma Healing and Developmental play workshops were very meaningful and enriching. The three programs taught me a common aim in promoting peace within oneself, peace in building relationships and peaceful ways to educate and accompany personal and child development.

            Since this was the 2^nd Basic AVP workshop that I had, the sessions reinforced me further in understanding how effective communication lead to peaceful relationships and conflict management. The Transforming Power Mandala once again reminded me how to find non-violent ways and practices in everyday living.

          

GOING THROUGH THE MEMORY LANE. 

The participants working on a Trauma Healing Session, "River of Life"

  Though I found the Trauma Healing Workshop a bit short and limited, it helped me to recreate my memory lane and instead of finding the faults and uncomfortable judgments of my past, it dwelt on picking up the positive and good sides of it. The sessions carry emotions and being aware of the feelings offered me a release of bad memories and relief of emotional baggage. The sessions also led to actions that are transforming in nature.

            I enjoyed the workshop on developmental play. I became like a child again and was able to explore the early stages of learning and understanding my world. Though child-centric, what moved me from the workshop were the natural ways an adult can do on accompanying the developmental stages of learning. It taught me on giving importance to free play where one can naturally expand and discover what more I can do and create through artistic and logical means. Complex structures are made up of simple elements and to understand the whole of it is to have the ability to identify or distinguish the parts and their functions separately.

 MATHEMATICS IN BLOCKS. 

Me and my group mates in one of my favorite activities in Developmental Play Workshop

My Next Steps

My life commitment is to always find the joy in all things. Choosing to be happy is priceless. I am always in search for meaning and every day I am able to discover the genuine treasures of life.

To be happy is to embrace peace. The workshop sessions at Peace Place taught me the value of simple living and being a person for others. My first step is to regularly check whether I am having enough to things needed rather than getting more of my wants.  Next, is to be caring enough if there are those near me who need my assistance. Being faithful to proper time for rest, work, play and prayer are key elements to make a pact of peace to myself, physically and spiritually.

We are one amidst many faces of culture.

As a full-time youth worker in our organization, I am committing to share it with my co-staff making the program of AVP a part of our weekly meeting. The principles of developmental play will help us design our youth program modules. We hope to share and develop the skills, competencies and virtues to our members who are majority students and also the teacher-animators that accompany them. A concrete plan is to integrate AVP in our upcoming Students Chaplain and Animators Formation Exchange.

Now that I am a part of the AVP Philippines Team, I am privileged to serve in spreading the message of hope and excited to spread the good news to my friends that PEACE IS POSSIBLE.

I would like to thank all the people who have supported us all the way to the workshops in Pati and back to the Philippines. Thank you AVP Australia and the Friends Peace Teams in Asia West Pacific. Our gratitude to Valerie and Ludwig for doing all the efforts in requesting fundraising. We thank the community at Peace Place in Pati especially to Petrus, Nanik and Ninok. Also, we thank Vidya and Nadine for facilitating the workshops excellently.

Mission to a place called Peace.

A personal preparation to the International Workshop of Nonviolence, Healing and Developmental Play to be held in Peace Place, Pati, Indonesia from March 14-22, 2015

By Frence M. Boiser

There is always a room for Peace.

I am very excited to prepare for the upcoming international workshop on nonviolence, healing and developmental play in Pati, Indonesia, specifically in a venue where they call it, “The Peace Place” come March 14 to 22, 2015. I feel blessed to be part of the Philippine team who will be trained and will be working sooner in spreading the word of peace and understanding among people of different backgrounds and perspectives.

Last year, I was able to join two runs of Alternatives to Violence Project workshops. I can say there is a common denominator from these activities that make me believe transforming power exists.

I came from a family that values solidarity and fair treatment. Thankfully, I didn’t experience major divisions and misunderstanding among my siblings and parents. There are little quarrels though but these didn’t grew tensions among us. But, a mere blessing of peace from within cannot justify that it is the same thing that happens outside.

My country, the Philippines has been beset recently of occurrences showing images of social violence and war atrocities seen on national and international media. The southern region is the most talked about. Almost every year clashes among rebel groups and the government spark which leads to the displacement of affected families and innocent individuals, losing their homes and even more, losing their lives. The government struggles to find a meeting point to keep a promise of lasting peace in the said region.

There is a crisis of mutual understanding among the divided groups and the long history of my country reveals a lot of stories. These are pieces of information that I knew when I attended a formal lecture presentation on the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro which later led to the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The agreement aims to disarm Islamic separatists and decommission an arm wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). In return, the government will work on its promise to establish Bangsamoro as an autonomous state of the Philippines. However, even with this agreement, there are still strong doubts as to how it will be implemented. Lately this year, a separatist rebel group brewed tensions in the said region after a controversial incident with the government’s Special Action Force happened.

I am not yet able to see the end of the rope here. For sure, there will be another agonizing process between the government and the plea of the Bangsamoro people to build an independent, stable and harmonious state. I will not further dig into the possible solutions. A lot of studies had undergone already for several years to better understand the situation as to whether the wounds were inflicted by cultural and religious divisions or social injustices.

My deep concern goes with the impact of terror to the lives of the people affected, children, women and innocent men. I can imagine the trauma brought about by crossfires and forced evacuation. It is in this sense that I will see a difficulty of a family to define peace among themselves and in the community where they live. A friend of mine from the southern region once described, “Peace in our place is a word gone trapped in our mouth.”

As I prepare my bags towards the Peace Place in Indonesia, I shall keep a silent prayer for my fellow brothers and sisters, Christians, Muslims, Lumads, Indigenous and all who are severely broken by the smears of war, abuse and misunderstanding. Furthermore, my country is also battled every year of horrific natural disasters. I also include my intentions to all who lost their lives and especially to those who suffered and are still suffering from the horror of the tragic events. Most of all, I pray for my country and then to other countries who need it most.

I haven’t been to the Peace Place but I feel there is a big room waiting there to learn and to speak the language of Peace. I am excited to travel to another country I am new at. Indeed, I will be happy to meet new friends and to share with them my experiences as well as listening to their personal experiences too. There are many questions growing now in my mind. How will my new friends define peace? What is a sign of lasting peace? Is reconciliation and healing a road towards harmony? How do we understand each other and learn to accept our differences beyond beliefs, traditions and religions?

  I am very grateful to the generous people and community who support me for my travel. My big thanks to all who believe in my capacity to be somehow a “little” bearer of peace along with my companions from the Philippines.

May the room wherein I will stay in the coming days create more rooms for peace after the workshop. I shall see how the transforming power will work again in me and in my community. Hence, I shall not forget the power of love as the centrifugal force in building a peaceful world. I end with William Ewart Gladstone’s quote:

“We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace.”

AMDG!

My February Reflection: Love and Life with Meditations by Bro. Alois of Taize

I was preparing the prayer and reflection for today when I saw the email forwarded to me. It is all about Fr. James Reuter’s Letter to the Filipinos entitled, My Beloved Philippines. The letter challenges the Filipinos of today towards Moral and Economic recovery whilst the Philippines is now left far behind our neighbouring countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and even Vietnam in terms of national economy. That status we had many years ago when we were then next to Japan is now at its decline.

I remember during our sharing about how I come to know SCA in the Diocese of Tagbilaran. It was about our dream to have a great country we can be proud of. Hence, the pursuit to forming new and accountable young leaders became my challenge to be in the ranks of the movement. Until now that same dream continues to linger in my mind. How is this related to my reflection about Love and Life then?

I tried to seek a guide to how I shall speak about the theme for this month then I was able to open the recent Meditations of Bro. Alois, the Prior of Taize during the Taize European Meeting in Berlin last December 2011. In his meditations, he opened the idea of why the meeting was held for the first time in Berlin. During the event, there was this drawing of the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus exhibited on the entire duration. It was made by a German soldier in Stalingrad, Russia during World War II. It has been told that to celebrate Christmas that time he made that drawing on the back of a military map. Bro. Alois presupposed that this soldier must have been seeking for “A Thirst for Life and Peace” in the midst of the worst darkness of war.

Bro. Alois continued saying that we are at times wondering “What is the true meaning of my life?” The Taize Brothers have always been clear to this question when they say that the Meaning of Life is founded on solidarity with others, lived out to concrete acts. That such solidarity allows us to glimpse that there is a love that is beyond us, leading us to believe in God’s love for every human being.

Trust in God is essential to my life. It has always been my deep basis if I come to the point of asking what is really my purpose in life? Bro. Alois further shared that this question grows in our community that it becomes not only an inner struggle but becomes a struggle for each one of us. In a country like the Philippines, Trust is found in accountability but many failed thus losing trust with one another. I doubt if this is one of the reasons why we are declining- we failed to trust one another. Failing to trust is like not recognizing the presence of God in our lives furthermore, the result, we pray less.

To restore that trust, it is good to recognize God. Bro. Alois said that if we love God and if this really matters for Him, God then recognizes our lives and freedom. Thus, even to the most deprived human being, God restores his or her dignity and God does justice to him or her. He further cites, we can all express our love for God, perhaps not with lofty sentiments or extraordinary thoughts. But we can be quiet and simply say to God, "You know I love you, I want to trust in your presence." In prayer there is always something of heaven and earth coming together.

We may not be able to feel the immediate impact in our prayer moments but God can give us the Holy Spirit and the life of God in us can grow and inspire our thoughts and actions.

Bro. Alois further says, In this way, we allow our human relationships to be determined more and more by the love God has for us and not by fear or defensive reactions. The trust God places in us becomes a radiant goodness for those entrusted to us, the source of a life in solidarity with others.

The Gospel continues to remind us that Jesus Christ is in solidarity with the poor. In the hungry, the ill or the abandoned, he is there waiting.

Prayer opens our horizons. God can, at the heart of the contradictions of life, light a flame of hope and joy. Such prayer brings us closer to God and changes our view of the world.

We pray for our country that there will be a Change on how we view each other which is in solidarity with the weak and helpless. This is the Act of Love we want to instill in the hearts of every person. Recognizing our love to God is recognizing His deep compassion to those who are most down and outcast. Each of us has his or her part to change that view. We lift our voices to our leaders to bring back the power of Prayer as one nation, as one community of God – To act God’s love and mercy.

Fr. James Reuter’s Letter, My Beloved Philippines, teaches me the power of prayer found in Love and Solidarity. That if we fail to love, we fail to recognize life of each other. My reflection is a social call from where my Love to my country springs.

Lastly, Bro. Alois quote as a lesson for reformation, Faced with the extremely rapid changes of our societies, given the uncertainties and the economic hardships, we need to remember that the "economic", as important as it may be, is not the measure of man. We must affirm that the spiritual dimension is fundamental to human beings, that the dignity of every human being requires infinite respect.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon wrote to the Berlin Meeting saying, "I am especially encouraged that you are focusing on the search for new forms of solidarity. You have a crucial role to play to drive political and social change. But please remember that being connected is not the same as being united. Being connected depends on technology – being united depends on solidarity. Solidarity must be the foundation for global solutions."

So let’s stand up and pray for a United Philippines!

Theology of the Body (Reflection from Freedom to Love Conference)

This is a re-post from my other blog last June 30, 2011

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be [Lk 12:34]” - This gospel text reminds me about the recentFreedom to Love Conference on the Theology of the Body last weekend in Pasig. Christopher West, a renowned Catholic inspirational speaker gave very clear dimensions on the human sexuality. What I like most about his talk was his effort to level the understanding of one’s psychology to one’s spirituality on the human sexuality. I was thankful that I learned many aspects of it but I focused more on the design of a human to desire for beauty, happiness and satisfaction.

The conference clarified my concepts on Existence, Freedom and ultimately, Love although the first two are all leading to Love. God made man into existence but man never asked for it. I can say, my existence is a gift for it is freely given. God created my body in his own image and likeness. His creation is the perfect gift that he made me with free will and freedom different from the other animals which are made in submission to their purpose. Possessing the perfect gift from Him, I am responsible to take good care of it. The gift of God to man is purely out of His love that even man’s fall to sin, He offered His only begotten son, Jesus Christ to save mankind- the greatest Love of all!

This is a call for me to Chastity. This is a challenge to be pure always of my intentions, desires and wishes. The trap to sinfulness, especially lust, is lurking anywhere and anytime it might capture me to its den. Greater should be the call to love and for love. For it is in love that real joy is felt for in lust it is only the suffering of guilt and shame from God.
Being single as of this time is truly such a blessing. If in the real marriage man is destined to her woman to be united physically and spiritually in love, a single person relishes that love to his spiritual union with his spiritual bridegroom, Jesus Christ. I just imagine how immense that love to Jesus Christ would be, how I am so much free to love people, love the things that I do so passionately. I’m free to write, free to draw, free to design, free to make artwork, masterpieces and everything I just love to do. This is freedom and this is love.

My reflection on the Theology of the Body finally leads me to my ultimate desire. Then that I have learned man is created inherently with a desire to seek for God. It is planted deep inside the soul of every man to be united with his creator just like the search of a man in love to find his partner. But even married couple seeks the greatest love of all and that’s all the Love in the world every person desires- God’s love, unconditional love. Well, see how I tire myself looking for many treasures finally realizing that the ultimate treasure is God who is Love.

My body should speak the Language of God and that is the Language of Love for when it is not Love, why shall I still look for the treasure I long to see.

“To see the face of God is my heart’s desire
To gaze upon the Lord is my heart’s desire”

Treating the Darkness in You: Today's Reflection from John 1:1-7 (A Re-post)

 

 This is a re-post from another blog I wrote last September 23, 2010

 

This is what we have heard from Christ: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all.[1 John 1:1-7]

Every time I hear the word "DARKNESS", what comes into my mind are the times that I fail to carry the light in my life. Pitfalls, failures, mistakes, weaknesses, shortcomings...sins- all of them appear in a row. I used to think sometimes that it is very hard to carry yourself the way you are when these "agonies" become a burden in your heart. Sins of the past? Nah, forget them. We all wanted to face what's for the future. Duh? Who cares what happened to you. They may never know. But wait, grudges can be painful and healing is the only answer. 

It is only in our "woundedness" we become mature of the next steps. So, wounds should be healed, medicated, treated. And that happens in darkness for no light shed along the way. There are also sins that may keep on repeats. Sins that we don't like but we like to do. Thus, darkness comes and goes. We never know the beating of our heart. Whether it tells you to follow what's right or what you think may be right. Choices, choices, choices- and that may be not only between two's. In the end you have to decide the best one. But come to think of this, if you know you fell always on the same hole, look through it because you may need help from anyone who can accompany your lost morale.

God is the almighty light. I know. Light is always there and is always be. The shadows of sins are the culprits of why no light is streaking into our lives. Let the light of God spread to the depths of our soul. And it is only in forgiving oneself and others. Forgiveness breaks the shadows of darkness and restores the light from spark to flame. Pray in forgiving. Forgive yourself. Forgive others.Forgive the past. Forgive your common falls. Forgive your trespasses to God and his people.Lastly don't forget, share the LIGHT to others. God forgive me of my sins and to all persons I hurt yesterday and today. frence