Last But Not the Least
By Bishop Jerome Baris
The culminating day—but definitely not the least—of the four-day activity held in Cambodia that was called the Laying the Foundations for Church and Community Mobilization (CCM) succeeded in leaving in us a lingering inspiration and challenge.
That is not to say that the other three days paled in comparison. In fact, the activities of the whole training were awesome and life-changing.
All the trainees-participants actively engaged the indoor learning processes that was implemented through a combination of inputs with corresponding illustrative role-playing. The topics included: “The Whole Life Discipleship,” “The Character of a Disciple Maker,” “World View Part 1 (Cultural Onion),” “World View Part 2 (Worldview Assessment),” “Kingdom Vision,” and the “Vision of a Godly Leader.”
These processes helped reinforce deeper understanding and appreciation on the transformative biblical foundations, values, and principles in doing integral mission through the CCM.
The closing liturgy was a period for individual and shared reflections of each participant based on the four-day training’s experiences in content and process. It ended with a concluding meditation entitled, “A Whole Life’s Discipleship: A Jesus Paradigm” based on Luke 5:1-11 emphasizing “A Life in Solidarity with the People.”
It pointed out the following:
1. To know and understand their life’s problems, needs, and aspirations (Vs. 3: “Getting into the boats”),
2. To empower by working with the people in addressing their frustrations with hope for a better future (Vs. 4: “Cast the nets to the sea”), and
3. To transform people’s mindset and way of life from self-centeredness into a life in service to others for God’s Kingdom’s sake (Vs. 10-11: “Fishers for people”).
The closing ceremony was capped by an awarding ceremony to recognize the efforts of the resource-facilitators. After expressing the participants’ as well as the facilitators’ gratitude and appreciation to each other, a fellowship circle was formed. Everyone expressed his/her commitment and dedication in service to God and the people through the CCM in the context of integral mission work for different areas in the Philippines.
Though it could be considered “the last” of the four-day group sessions, it could also be considered “not the least” portion of the event. It provided a climax of enormous intellectual and emotional impact that was felt by all the participants.
It was also at this point that they synthesized the achievements of the training’s objectives, which every participant claimed. In particular, the trainees proudly owned the values and principles they learned as the components of a correct way-of-life that will benefit the poor and marginalized children in these changing and challenging times.