Baptized & Sent: Missionary Journey in Olango, Cebu (October 20, 2019)

Baptized and Sent
Missionary Journey in Olango, Cebu

The whole Catholic Church celebrated the extraordinary World Mission Sunday last October 20, 2019 with the theme: “Baptized and Sent”. Thus, as one Verbum Dei community in Cebu, we decided to have missionary journeys in the different places where God called us to go through giving recollections. Disciples from different walks of life were sent to Toledo, Boljoon, Olango and Bohol.

​Now, I am beyond grateful to share with you our missionary journey experience in the island of Cebu, Olango. There were about 18 disciples who volunteered to help and organize the recollection in two different barangays: Brgy. Sta. Rosa and Brgy. Tingo. The same flow of activities was done in both places with an estimated number of 120 participants - teens, lay people, catechists, and parents. The activities included singing songs, dancing animation, games, giving of talks, listening to testimonies and sharing of the fruits of the recollection.

​The first talk was God the Father, which was given by one of our new missionary couples here in Cebu, Eryle Payos, and followed by an inspiring testimony by my husband, Manuel Manceli. The talk was indeed an eye opener for everyone and I myself was even reminded about my real identity as a child of God. It taught us that the unconditional love of the father is such that no matter how sinful I am, God still loves me. The passage that struck me was in Genesis 1:26 where God said that He created us in His own image and likeness, that even when I was still in my mother’s womb, he already knew me. This talk made me realize that God created me for a great purpose and through the virtue of baptism, I am sealed to be with Him forever. In addition, the testimony given by Manuel concretized the powerful and living love of God to his children. He shared how Christ changed his life and how he was accompanied throughout his sufferings. Manuel's experience showed that no matter how hard you work for your dreams, if God is not in it, it would still be unsatisfying.

​I gave the second talk about Mission – how we, as children of God, can live out our purpose and goal in life as baptized and sent disciples of Christ. Being the person who gave the talk, I was the first one who was blessed to receive the fruit! I realized that my life is a gift from God, and I was “baptized” and “sent” by God. My life is for mission, not just any kind of mission but the same mission that Christ has lived – to bring God to the very lives of the people. Being a missionary is not only for religious people, priests, nuns and missionaries, but all of us, we are a missionary. The talk rekindled in the listeners once again the urgency to respond to the call of God to give life to others.
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​The recollection was very memorable and successful. Seeing the joy in the faces of the participants and hearing their thoughts as they shared their fruits were beyond worth, despite the strenuous preparations and activities that we’ve been through. Everyone experienced God’s love and were eager to do the mission God has entrusted to us. As Pope Francis reminded us that “I am a Mission and You are a Mission ALWAYS”.

Here are some photos of the event:

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With thanks to Imelda Manceli and the WordNews team