"Naghihintay... Nagmamahal sa Iyo": Lenten Recollections

Verbum Dei Missionary Family of Tagaytay organized two Lenten Recollections: one for mixed group of youth and adults (ages 16 and up) and a hiking Lenten Recollection for the Teens group.
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Last March 12, 2023 was the Lenten recollection for adults in VD Center of Evangelization and started with the 8am Holy Mass. The theme of the recollection was 'Naghihintay, nagmamahal… sa iyo.  It was participated by young and adults coming from CYC Choir group of young people from a parish in Cavite and other new participants from Tagaytay. It was also a comeback recollection also for some old neighbours from Tagaytay who joined again after many years.  The experience of being welcomed back by a loving Father waiting to be reconnected again with them has marked their experience. Afterwards, they had a meaningful Journey of the Heart, leading them to go inward to examine their hearts and discover what blocked them to be connected with God.  In the afternoon, it was a journey of following the Way of Love and being one with Jesus in his Way of the Cross (Via Crucis) as a Path of Love. We culminated the recollection with an explosion of sharing from young to old with the fruit of their experiences of the day. It was full of grateful and heartfelt sharing of having experienced anew God’s love and embrace which gave them a new heart to start a new journey.  As one exclaimed: “It’s my best Lenten Recollection ever!” There were many first-timers, those that just came back and the facilitators but they all experienced the same joy.
 
Last March 19, 2023, the Verbum Dei Tagaytay Teens group had a Lenten hiking recollection at Calaruega, Batangas with the theme, ‘Walk with Jesus’. They were 17 in the group including youth and single facilitators of the recollection. It was a day of meeting new friends, journeying with Jesus in the way of love and learning about Lent through games and in a fun way.
The hiking recollection started with “getting to know you” games and then was proceeded with the welcome talk.  They then shared with the group who Jesus is for them through photos. The next part was crossing the hanging bridge as they carried their fears, conquering them with Jesus. Then they had a short way of the cross translated to a way of love. In the afternoon they had a moment to learn more about Lent through a game with prizes. Then had other team games that express their energy and enthusiasm with one another. The day culminated with a sharing of memorable experiences during the day and learnings in the hiking recollection. As many shared ‘it was fun' and they enjoyed, a few commented they had learned about Jesus and also appreciated the words of affirmation they had received from one another.  At the end of the day, they went back home carrying the simple experience of joy and friendship with one another and walking with Jesus through Lent.