23RD ICON: A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The 23rd YFC International Conference had started a breakthrough; an activity that lets its participants beyond the four corners of the community walls. It had gave its attendees to be fully integrated with the parishes. The whole-day activity is called the Parish Encounter. The event was held in the different parishes around the province of Bohol.
To hype-up the attendees, the hosts had started a game in which colored papers are randomly distributed and every member writes a question, no matter how random it is. The game’s aim is to let them answer that question and to be known to each other, gaining new friends.
As Catholics, the celebration of the Holy Mass is never forgotten. As unique as they may be, they are united in giving thanks to the Lord.
This encounter aims to build camaraderie and partnership between our YFC community and the parishes’ youth ministry, benefitting both parties in a unique yet mutually beneficial. The session that were led by the parish priest of each venue focuses on one thing – the Acts of the Apostles.
In order to apply a twist in the community’s effort to put the faith in action, the parish youth ministry had teamed-up with our brothers and sisters to perform random acts of kindness. After the activity, the participants had shared to each other with a heart that is full of love and on what they had experienced during the allotted time.
As the sun sets, our couple coordinators had shone like any star like our guides in the community. Our parents in YFC had been more than willing to learn contemporary music. As expected, the crowd had made so much noise in cheering for their beloved coordinators.
For the second night, the sessionistas had caught the attention of the crowd through playing and singing-along of popular songs. Also, the youth had yelled in happiness when a hugot-themed video was played.
Kuya Er Abringe, CFC UAE Coordinator from the international delegations had talked about prayer. The session is entitled No Matter What. It is centered on the topic of prayer. Nothing can stop us from praying to the Lord, he cited. He had pointed out that we too must tell our concerns to God. He also emphasized Paul’s conversion. As he shared his transformation story, it had totally changed him as a person.
Ate Bunny Enriquez, a fulltime pastoral worker for Metro Manila shared her testimony entitled The Story of Us. It was about her family fighting over numerous things until one day, their neighborhood’s houses were set on fire. As it reaches the vicinity of their houses, the fire stopped. With this, she had never stopped praying and giving thanks to God. What matters is our payer time with the Lord, she emphasized.
Ate Andrelene Veloso for Negros Occidental grew up hating her father for various reasons. Because of these, her mother went into a 50/50 state. Carrying all of those burdens, she herself had become an unruly person. Through this community, she had re-established herself into that person that God wants her to be. As time passed by, she had forgiven her father but in 2015, her father gave up to the fight with Diabetes. As this happened, she had that thoughts of questioning God on why these things had took place. In the end, despite everything, she vowed to be that person that will serve God despite everything.
For the last sharing, Ate Rjane Beltran’s mother had suffered from kidney disease. Thts sharing had been her usual sharing wherever she may be. As her mother lies in bed, she never ceased on praying and singing the song Have Your Way, even though she is not a part of our community. Even though her mother died, she never had these questions for God on why these things occur. Her faith never wavered as she chose to believe in God’s promises. For her, our service is a bed of roses, together with its stems and thorns.
Kuya Gerald Manapsal had led the youth into prayer and had encouraged them to write all of their prayers and put it on a balloon as a symbol of lifting all of them up. As one community of believers, true enough that the Lord will always ne the one that will never fails to listen and answer us.
23RD ICON: OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO YOU
The serene ambiance of session two was still present on day 3 of the ICON as YFCs gathered at the venue wearing white shirts in preparation for the day’s activity.
As Sunday’s obligation, a mass has been offered, celebrated by the Diocese of Talibon’s Bishop Patrick Daniel Parcon. He emphasized that we were not born by chance but with purpose and mission; and we are here on Earth for nothing but love. He concluded that we need to obey God because that is the best expression of our love for Him. Before he gave the final blessing, a prayer for community leaders has also been offered where he prayed for their hearts to share their faith to those people who lack Jesus in their lives.
As the morning continued on, Kuya Edyvmar Abuan, a Fulltime Pastoral Worker for Laguna, led us into worship and asked God to take hold of the part of our lives that complains and the portion of our hearts that give thanks for the love and joy which acknowledges Him. After the worship, an AVP was shown displaying the transition of YFC ILC to YFC ICON milestones.
Kuya GJ Ramores, Fulltime pastoral worker for Metro Manila led session three, entitled Grateful, a session focusing on our feeling of gratitude towards the blessings we receive. He explained the conditional and comparative kinds of gratitude that hinders us from wholly appreciating and thanking the Lord for what we have.
He reminded us that ingratitude begins when we lose recognizing Jesus’ presence in our lives. He, then, countered that when we start to realize the abundance of Christ in our lives; we stop comparing and become contented of what the Lord has given us. It is gratitude that makes Jesus Christ unlimited in our lives, he cited.
A sharing from Tito Sime Gomez, a Couple Coordinator of Lanao Del Norte, told us how God introduced CFC in their lives and how they accepted the call of service in spite of being torn between the duties of family and service. Despite the struggles and despair they went through, they continued to giving thanks to the Lord. They saw that their service is not boredom but a gift where they’ll see more of Christ.
The last sharing came from Kuya Jake where he told us his love story. He highlighted how his previous Couple Coordinators guided him in his ventures for love. He’s very thankful that God has sent second parents like them. As a way of giving them gratitude, he asked them to be their godparents for their wedding.
Our Couple Coordinators go beyond the service and partnership that we have, he concluded. Delegates were led into prayer and were asked to express their gratitude by brushing paints on the shirts of the people they’re thankful of.
Even though the paints weren’t enough, it didn’t hinder the delegates and used their colored marking pens to write ‘Thank You’ and countless affirmations and messages and on the shirt of their Brothers and Sisters.
After the Praise fest, winners for the sports and creative competitions were awarded. Cheers from the winners were heard all around the open venue. Tito George Campos, CFC Executive Director, gave his closing message where he inspired everyone to not forget to share to their families, communities and schools what they have experienced and seen during their well-spent weekend in Bohol. Let other people see that YFC is beautiful, he added. He also encouraged us not to be silent to say that we are going to bring them in the glory of Christ.
As the of the 23rd ICON nears its end, Kuya Lawrence Quintero, our YFC International Coordinator, together with the loud applause and cheers from the delegates, thanked and honored CFC Bohol for hosting this year’s ICON. “As we say thank you and good bye to Bohol, let us say hello to Ilocos Norte!”, kuya Lawrence announced with enthusiasm. Soon after the event, delegates bid farewell to their new found friends.
Before departing, everyone exchanged numbers, took pictures and prayed for each other. For us YFCs, the 23rd YFC International Conference has been more than the usual summer week but rather, it had became a weekend that made to us see and know more of God’s unlimited love to each of us.
