PIE 2005 begins!

Today is the day! Today we leave for the Philippines, and with all the preparations and the anticipation that has been building up, I can hardly believe this moment is upon us. As I am preparing my luggage and tying up loose ends, I am finding it difficult to spiritually center myself. There are so many distractions, any one of which could encumber me if I choose to linger in those worries. At today’s mass at the Chapel of St. Ignatius, the gospel concerned Peter walking on water to join Jesus but ultimately sinking as his faith was shaken by the raging sea and the tumultuous winds. I pray that today I may find God’s voice in the silence to help foster a sense of reflective calm and that the winds we ride upon this evening may buoy our very spirits.

One Month & One Day...

Well, my friends, I can't believe that we will be departing for our mission in one month and one day! It's been such a beautiful journey, and I have truly been blessed to have been able to forge even more beautiful friendships. The thing is too that this is only the beginning! Can you feel the anticipation building? How exciting!

So I feel I should give at least a really quick update on what has been going on over the past month since my last entry was written in May! Ok, here goes: finals, travel warnings, graduations, goodbyes, PIE dinner, kaibigan, BBQ, thumbs up from admin, visas, & community. There ya go!

Oh wait! Before I end this overdue journal, just one more announcement: Bishop Ledesma, SJ of Zamboanga will be having lunch with PIE on July 20th. I'm looking forward to his insights on faith and poverty in the Philippines. Anybody want to get the ball rolling on this topic of discussion?

PIE week definitely not weak!

So I just wanted to write and to thank my wonderful PIE family and all those awesome friends of PIE for making PIE week such a success! From the official pie of PIE to all the pie throwing fun... from the pie social to practicing "PIE girl" for the kapehouse... from all your warm smiles to your even warmer hugs... abundantly heartfelt gratitude I offer you! Thanks for all your incredible work and all your amazing work in supporting PIE. This mission would not exist without your kindness & your generosity!

Fred loves PIE!

Welcome all as our family continues to grow! Let's all be thankful for the many blessings we have received. I love you all!

silly but beautiful PIE smiles! 

long journey completed... long journey still ahead!

It has been over one year now since the first steps of PIE have been taken. Back then, the reality of going to the Philippines in service appeared as some idealistic vision for the distant future. After all this time and after all our preparations, that vision has joined the real world! Manila, here we come! The tickets for the 1st PIE volunteer team have been purchased, and we will see you in less than 3 months!

Interfaith Service Day

Today was the National Day of Interfaith Youth Service, and it was amazing! On top of the transcendental significance of so many people sharing themselves in generous service, the similarities rather than the differences of our many faith traditions were accentuated! We truly are truly interconnected not in spite of interfaith but more correctly and more profoundly through it.

Episode IV

Ok, first thanks to everyone for their kind comments on my appearance on TV last night! You are being way too nice as I feel I came nowhere near the level of praise which you've accorded me! Second, what an awesome day! Got some work done at campus min, prayed in fond remembrance of Pope JPII, hung out with Josh and Jon at the family kitchen (Welcome back guys! We've missed you!), & found inspiration for a new mission... right Carla? =) If you're curious, you're going to have to blog Carla to find out!

kill your tv!

Ok, I participated in the discussion panel for KCTS Connects earlier this evening. Even though I was such a nervous train wreck, I believe I had enough steam to get through it! It was such an amazing and humbling experience to be in the presence of such experienced and eloquent panelists. I just hope that I was able to advance rather than impede the discussion with my simple comments. Thanks to everyone for all your encouragement! I have the segment recorded on video, so if you want to make fun of me while watching, give me a call!

"campus-min" style

Rollie & Josh, I think it's really great that both of you two will going on the Search retreat! I wish I could Search again to hang out at Camp Don Bosco with you two, but please know that my prayers will be with you both on that weekend.

Overall, a great day today... learned some stuff, worked a little, celebrated my birthday "campus-min" style, hung out with friends... I am bummed though that I'll be missing the PIE meeting tomorrow. I'll miss you dears dearly! If you bite your lip at the meeting, you'll know why. I offer my apologies in advance!

in good company

Yay! Finally, I saw Josh today! He turned in his Search application into campus min while Jeff & I were breaking bread together. Woo hoo! Josh, I think it's great that you're going on this retreat. Wish I could go again and retreat with you!

After Josh left, Jeff & I had a discussion about the papacy and God's calling for our lives. Jeff, thanks for sharing your insights! I enjoyed our conversation and hope to return to it in the near future. Also, for those of you who haven't heard, check Mr. Jeff Ryan out in the Seattle Times!

seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pope/
2002229483_localpopelegacy03m.html

a void left, a mark left

Today at mass, we celebrated the Anunciation and held a memorial for Pope John Paul II. It was a liturgy of mixed emotions with the joyful herald of Christ and with the sorrowful departure of the pope's soul. Even though much joy can still be derived in that the pope now joins the honored of God's paradise, I nevertheless feel a void. Having been born in the year of three popes, I have only really known one vicar of Christ. I know now that whenever the title of "pope" is to be invoked, I will first & predominantly see one face. No matter how hard you try to conceive a rose by another name, the image associated with that name has been burned into your mind.

My blessings go with you, Holy Father. We carry your mark upon our faith and upon our spirits. Thank you for being such a solid foundation.

Whew!

Talk about close calls today! I was working on the PIE website and updating some files earlier. Fortunately, I had backed up the directory onto the desktop of my home network because Kat's computer, the laptop on which I was working, crashed for the second time!

Rolls & Tiff: Sorry about missing out on the conference. Hope it was fun!
G, Sheila, & Ryan: Great seeing you at the evening mass. (G, welcome back from the retreat!)
Carla: How was dinner with the boys and the fam?
Josh: Dude, where are you these days! =)
Hong: Hope you're not working too hard at Starbuck's over the weekends!

Beginnings

As we begin this spring quarter and as we near our depature date, I can't help but think of the opening prayer read at the first general meeting.

"Above all, trust in the slow work of God… your ideas mature gradually – let them grow, let them shape themselves, without undue haste… Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense & incomplete."
~ Fr. Pierre Teilhard DeChardin, S.J.

It has indeed been a long journey, and that "slow work of God" has been taking shape! Much has been accomplished, and much still needs to be done. With each day now, I increasingly feel that anxiety of suspense and incompletion. However, I trust that God continues to hold our hands, and that feeling manifest itself most in the presence of you, my amazing PIE family and my wonderful friends of PIE. When I'm with you, I see Christ shining from your spirit. Just like the parable of the mustard seed, we have been nurturing the seeds of the kingdom of God within each of us for over a year, and as I write this entry, I can hardly contain the happiness I feel while reveling in those forests we've grown thus far! Thank you so much for embracing the anxiety with me! In your embrace, I have found community through friendship through love.