Thursday, February 23, 2012

A Christmas Message

Dear Friends,

The peace and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and your loved ones!

As we all celebrate the Christmas season, we at Philippine Jesuit Prison Service Foundation, Inc. (PJPS) call to mind your many acts of generosity in support of our prison ministry. Your prayer and support have been truly a grace for all of us in PJPS and the people we serve. We are equally consoled to see how our constant collaboration lights up small pockets of light that serve as our guiding stars in finding God’s presence in our ministry. These are for us the graces and blessings that “bring glad tidings of comfort and joy”. Let me share with you two of these graces.

Christmas came upon us as early as the month of November. Our office received via LBC a cash donation of Php 5,000.00 from Russel Gania, a PJPS alumnus scholar who now works in Abu Dhabi. He is doing very well in his carreer and has already helped some of his fellow PJPS scholars find work abroad. He sent the donation to support our scholarship fund –the very fund that sent him to school. Russel promised that he would try his best to encourage his fellow alumni to pay it forward. “Ngayon pong nasa maganda na kaming kalagayan, panahon na siguro para kami naman ang tumulong. Huwag po kayong mahihiyang lumapit sa amin.”

Isn’t this the very fulfillment of our dream--of seeing a child of an inmate rise from poverty through education and help others in the process?

People who have been in contact with our scholars through our various formation activities have written about how they encountered the Lord in the ”manger”—in the humble, sincere kindness and thoughtfulness of our scholars. Recently, a group of volunteers from Museong Pambata assisted us in accompanying our scholars to Intramuros for an educational tour. One of the Museo volunteers recounted her experience in her Facebook blog:

“I sat next to a boy around 12 years old. He offered me all the snacks he had on the short ride from Fort Santiago to San Agustin. ‘Ate, kain ka o... Tubig? Gusto mo? Fita?’ He was so accommodating and very warm. Knowing the general idea why these kids are brought together, makes me realize how they are truly an inspiration to all of us who strive to become better persons.”

These stories are perhaps too small for the world to notice. Yet, the spirit of Christmas consoles us with the reality that it is through simplicity and lowliness that the Son of God chose to enter our world and save it. And for as long as there are people like you who believe in these simple stories, as long as there are people who continue to make these stories real and palpable...these stories—our stories and God’s too -- shall continue to be guiding stars that lead us to God who is with us, Emmanuel!

We thank you for having guided us to the Child in the manger. Please be assured of our prayers and the prayers of our incarcerated brethren. May overwhelming peace and joy be yours as you continue to share His love with others.

The Executive Director

Comments

#2 gwen Llano 2012-01-10 16:41

Beautiful and truly heartwarming!It makes our work with the families of inmates meaningful and worth continuing. It feels good to hear stories like these. Thank you Fr. Jhaw for capturing in words thru this story the heart of our work. God bless.