Diocese of Lismore group conducts immersion activity
Date Posted: February 5, 2018 at 09:09 AM
The Diocese of Lismore in Australia once again conducted their annual immersion activity in the Estero de Paco community and in the Southville relocation community of Cabuyao, Laguna last January 13-20, 2018. Like before, this was made possible through a partnership arrangement with the Integrated Community Extension Services (ICES) of Adamson University.
Now on its third year, the immersion process is hosted and facilitated by ICES. It is a kind of community-based tourism where the visitors are exposed to life in an urban community adopted and assisted by Adamson through poverty alleviation programs. The participants get a chance to experience solidarity with Filipino families and the community as a whole. This year, the immersion was dubbed Empowering the Daughters and included six female and two male delegates who were students, teachers and a priest from the youth ministry of the Diocese of Lismore. Mr. Gary Reen headed the group.
The group first did an ocular visit to the Estero de Paco community, which unfortunately suffered a tragedy after being hit by fire. During their visit, the delegates had a dialogue of life with the people of the community who talked about their lives before and after the tragedy. The activity taught the Australians lessons on the value of simplicity in living.
After a series of courtesy calls and a tour of the Adamson University museum and campus, the group headed to Cabuyao, Laguna for the immersion proper. There, each of the delegates was assigned a family for them to really immerse themselves in the daily lives of their designated hosts. According to Fr. Atilano “Nonong” Fajardo, CM, this activity somehow enhanced the dignity of the community. In his words, “natuto silang managinip” because having foreigners living with them and immersing in what they are ordinarily doing made them feel important.
According to Ms. Norgelinda Libao, a Vincentian volunteer from ICES, seeing the Australians care for their Filipino families made her see that love goes beyond cultures. She also said that even if there is diversity in their cultures, empathy and love transcended it.
This community-based tourism/immersion program will in the near future include delegates from the Diocese of Sydney and the Diocese of Wagga-wagga in New South Wales, Australia.
