Here we go again

Last night we got the chance to meet S. Mila, our campus Minister and coordinator of CCP (Christian Communities Program), a Campus Ministry - back in college. The meeting was called for to address the issue on division and to highlights the need to established legally the members or leaders that would heads up the alumni group of this ministry.

The CCP was established in 1975 in the 3 campuses of UE-however, after the members/students graduated, there should be an alumni group to handle or to welcome them to continue what they have gained and experienced from college days, but it was fleeting. Though, it was established but it did not last, until there came group of individuals who dreamt of building up the alumni group and the move goes on and off, on and off...After several attempts, some who fought or worked hard to regain the group, lost their drive and their will power to go on, that's why to date, there's still no concrete framework or group of that sort to handle the alumni until now...

Actually, 3 of those attempts I was partly involved, the last two we did not succeed and on my 3rd attempt- I join this group and continue to help fulfill that desire-we are now at our 3rd year struggles and journey to that dreams and we call ourselves working group.

We had regular meetings, activities, plans, Sunday Masses once a month, retreat every year and others, we've established a yahoo groups to bring together thoughts and greetings of all alumnis from all parts of the world, we have shares of receiving rejections, persecutions and intrigues, but we never falter or let ourselves be affected.

But we are all human beings, and sometimes we are too vulnerable and weak and we do feel at times frustrated and hopeless about this plight- again we are no superheroes we're humans too and its normal to feel it at times.

The beauty about this working group that we had, if the other seem to go weary, there'll be someone from the group to fill in and uplift the other person. Our togetherness and having a unison battle cry had given us the opportunity to be more closer with one another and our level of treating each other is not only on the basis of purely having this common plan ang goal, but it came to a level that is more personal and more intimate, that we all wanted to be one-that we dont want to loose each other and we want to be altogether on this battle.

Going back to the purpose of that meeting, now part of the persecution that this group is receiving, is that some other group of the same community that we belong is establishing their own group to promote the same objective of building up the group, that they do not recognize or consider our group and they dont want to submit to the working group's desire or goal because they dont like the people who composes the group.

Given that situation, the mother of all these alumni, stood up and grab an opportunity to talked and bring the house down, I mean to cut this division and somehow enlighten up these two or rather 3 opposing poles, that actually their desires are all common and directed towards one goal, but having different approaches over the matter, rather.

What struck me is the word S.Mila, uttered, this is just a sibling rivalry and everyone has each own goodness in their hearts and what we need is just to simply come together and be one.

Last night there's so much lip service, there's so much self-centeredness, so much pasikat, and indirectly telling everyone that I'm more better, that I dont know because I was not informed, this and that and this and that...

A revelation that as for me I cannot just merely relinquished this torch that I'm carrying on inorder to make the group be one, particularly to some brothers and sisters who are just making show of themselves and not sizing up, but may have other motives/agendas or their committment is kinda questionable.

In this world of today,that technology becomes one of the basic need, that communication and change of information can happen in a split second, the more that word of mouth can be transmitted as far as electronic mail can do, I just cant comprehend, that how come during the last 3 years of the group struggles and activities to bring all as one, they never receive or got those information. But from their own lips they've uttered that on their own group they still managed to get in touch regardless of proximities... I just wonder, san sila nung ginagawa namin ang mga ito.

Now its a challenge, really, some did volunteer to support the group and S.Mila finally speak about dishonoring any small group that will be established other than this committee called working group, that will oversee its members for the next six months and once established - eventually a call for a formal election will set its place on December of this year.

But even before - WG came this far without hunger for much recognition, so much so with holding a title or a position - for them to move or establish the alumni - for us its a non-issue, for as long as we unite the alumni brothers and sisters, on every plans and activities, that we create and discussed about in the long hours of the evening till midnight away from our own priorities and families.

Actually, we volunter ourselves and we are not receiving or getting any benefit out of doing these things, our consolations lie only on the premise, that in gratitude we want to pay it forward to the other members of the alumni or to the community as a whole what we have become and we want to share that blessings to them - to the community without expecting any return, including rejections, back stabbing and persecutions.

Now having said that and listening to some people whom I just saw only now, where do we go from here, you've heard everything, you've said all your piece and thank you that somehow you recognized our efforts, but what can you share or what can you do, more than the words that you can utter, what else can you offer? Where do we go from here? Should I say...here we go again.