The End of Misery

This article was written by Ms. Tian Chunying who is a recovered patient of Xiao Hei Jing rehabilitation centre of Wen Shan De Hou town at Yun Nan Province.

The world is beautiful, but there is a disease likes the devil haunts the human beings.  Anyone who gets attacked will definitely fall in the depths of suffering. In our Mother land, leprosy assaults our body and heart as well.  It makes us cry our eyes out, struggle and wander between life and death.  When will our sufferings end?

In fact, the end of sufferings is not far from us.  You can hear a voice: “Don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, or what you’ll wear”.  God will arrange everything. The Creator of the heaven and earth will make your country prosperous and strong.  In your life, He will nurture a lot of good children who will become angels to implement the will of God.  God wants to send you his angels.  His angels give better care and love to everyone who needs God’s mercy than your loved ones can do. They will use their wholehearted love to cherish and soothe the pain of your body and soul. You are blessed.

Flower blossoms in warm spring, new houses are built in flat land and long-lost smiles are shown on the face of many patients.  Look, how is each of the Sisters with angel’s smile not afraid of patients with physical disabilities?  They will not look at us weirdly as other people do.  They love and take care of us without distance.  They show their full concern to us and guard us days and nights.  They use such a great love to warm the lonely and miserable hearts of the patients here and make the misery disappear.

Oh…they are the angels sent by God and perform the will of God, aren’t they? Yes, they are our guardian angels. As long as we see them, we will feel warmth, comfortable and especially happy, as we are not seeing ordinary people. God is always with them and they are with us. They shine on us with love and we feel warm in our heart.

Beautiful atmosphere permeates through here everyday. Every morning, we can see beautiful angels and sweet voices saying: “How are you doing? Feel hungry? Have you drunk the milk? What’s the matter, anywhere feeling uncomfortable? Are you cold? Do wear more clothes. Oh! You are cleaning up; let me help you! Your clothes are dirty. Please change the clothes and let us wash them. Come and have the haircut, trim the nail, wrap up the foot…! You are so sick; you need to go to hospital quickly!” That is what our guardian angels do to drag the serious patients back from death. Angel sisters and angel aunties, your kindness to us is endless and countless. Thanks for all your hard works! Thanks for everything you have done for us! May our country develop into a more thriving and prosperous country, with united peoples and stable society. May the world is penetrated with the love of God. Let us make our best wishes for our dearest and most honorable angel sisters and aunties! Hope a smiling face is always with you. Wish you peace and everything goes well as you wish!

All the recovered patients from the rehabilitation centre would like to express, from deep down their heart, their sincere thanks to our guardian angels! We all say together: “Angel sisters and aunties, thanks for giving us your endless care and help. Thank you for all your hard works! And also thanks for the love from the Fathers and all the kind people from our society. It is because of your love, we are not lonely anymore. I would like to express my gratitude once again, thank you!”

Making of Calendar 2012 - sharing from Hunan Loving Care Center

(Sharing by Sister Xu of the Loving Care Center, Hunan)

This is our second time at the Hunan Loving Care Center workshop to receive calendar order from Casa Ricci Social Service. The calendar was larger than the previous order by half with a theme of “Love”. Based on the production experience last year, we have full confidence to handle this order and are thankful of the order from Casa Ricci and all those concerned. When the HIV-affected people (herein called workers) held the finished products at their hands, they were over-joy with hopes in their life that are meaningful. They reinvent ed themselves continuously throughout the process. We as serving companions can adequately felt the mutual love and care in their life sharing.

This year the bamboo material we selected are from local Hunan province. Some are from the home of some of our workers. We specifically wanted to help them and order the bamboos from them. The workers were also trustworthy and delivered us their best bamboos that are 3  to 5 years old.

The process of making the calendar were as below:  

1. The workers and sisters formed a team to design the 2012 calendar. The final design was passed to the publishing house for printing.
2. Bamboo selection (for the best bamboo by worker themselves) and transported to the center. Each bamboo was about 10 plus meters. Our workers have to select and cut with a saw the right size of bamboo diameter as they differ in sizes.
3. There was a Chinese knot in each of the calendar. Our center workers have to tie each of the 2000 knots themselves. The knot was very delicate and beautiful, with unique Chinese style. 
4. Peeling off the green skin by a professional wooden master.
5. Cut the peeled bamboo into small sections according to their joints.
6. Cut in the middle the bamboo sections into halves.
7. According to local custom, workers soaked the bamboo into lime water to avoid moth eating. Dried after washing.
8. Draw the dried bamboo sections into standard size by a Sister.
9. Cut and polish into standard size by a worker. After polishing, a worker (professional wood master) drilled holes on the bamboo.
10. A volunteer & sister printed the wordings on the polished bamboo. Another sister ironed the side.
11. Ironing of words were done by two workers, one volunteer and two sisters. Due to the larger number of words (than last year), it was more difficult than before. The workers however, were confident despite sometimes their hands may be trembling and not as skillful. They were serious in doing each stroke right. To bridge the gap of end-September delivery, the workers took initiatives to perform overtime. Everyone was fill with happiness in mobilizing his/her own resources.
12. The small calendars (printed) were ready as scheduled when we have done half of our work. We performed a quality check to select and sort by the month, ready for fixing with the bamboo.
13. Paint Spray：A departure from our usual manual spraying, we introduced a spraying machine (compressed air type) thanks to suggestion by a new worker that is a professional wood master himself. So we purchase one and the effect was great...fast and efficient with beautiful result and smooth coloring. This has leapfrog our center capability and broadened our horizons according to talent of each worker. 
14. “Love” Trimming: This was the most difficult process. Using a wired cutter, the Chinese character “Love” was manually formed by drilling away the extra woods on the bamboo plate. This beautiful character “Love” was the result by the heart of the worker, a creation in its lively making. 
15. Fitting the small calendar.
16. Counting the number of finished products.
17. Packaging.
18. Boxing and quality inspection.
19. Sealing, weighting and preparation for mailing.

Volunteers

This was the second time the Ricci volunteers come to our center. Their energetic participation has brought much life to our center. The center workers (namely the HIV-affected patients) felt their love through their companionship and were surprised by such young volunteers willing to come to live with them and integrated into their large family. This does not only increase their life energy but also make them moved by their love and support from so many friends and volunteers.

Two interludes in our making of the calendars

Interlude 1

There were many angels and numerous support and assistance in the making of these calendars. During the production period, there were many sisters from all over the country to participate in a working training. These sisters also joined the production work in their spare time. This small gesture was a great encouragement to our workers. 

Interlude 2

Many difficulties arose when we were only half done. First the cutting wire for the word “Love” broke and after deliberation we have to purchase a new one. That pushed back our production schedule by more than a week. However, the new cutter broke again when we were near the finish. This time we were really nervous as we would be late in delivering the products. So we have to ask the opinion to Fr. Fernando. Fortunately, Fr. Fernando gave us sufficient time as grace period. Through this experience and communication, we can feel that there was a big force supporting us in our work. Fr. Fernando gave us his encouragement and rapport. He said “these types of problem are common in production works” and said we did not need to be rush. He gave us advice and even suggested us to purchase spare ones for those important machines as standby. Our difficulty was overcome  with ease just like that. This incident broadens our minds and gives us more work experience. 

Sr. Xu

October 2011

p.s. For a complete article with photos explaining the process, please download from:

http://www.casaricci.org/en/whatnew/files/making-of-crss-calendar-2012-en.pdf

Encounter with Fr. Luis Ruiz S.J.

Written by Cecilia is a Casa Ricci's staff at our Macau office responsible for the HIV related program.

He was an ordinary man with a big heart and an angelic smile. His greatness was expressed in countless little acts of kindness. 

I still remember vividly my first “interview” with Fr. Luis which took place six years ago. He didn’t ask about my degree or about my working experience. He just had a friendly chat with me and at the end of our conversation, he simply said, “Come!”  That was all, just “come!”  He made me feel that I was wanted!

Fr. Luis was a quiet man, a man of few words.  Yet he was very observant and very sharp when it came to the essentials.  For instance, one time we were visiting a clinic in Vietnam.  The Director talked on and on about their work and activities.  Fr. Luis listened patiently but at one point he leaned over and whispered to me, “When he finished talking, ask him the following  “#1… , #2… and #3…”.  This was the first time that I experienced how smart and sharp Fr. Luis really was.

Fr. Luis’s engaging smile and sense of humor warmed our hearts!  A few yeas ago I was informed that Fr. Fernando would be absent for about two years to prepare for his final vows and also do some further studies. Naturally I felt some anxiety to have my boss away for such a long time.  One morning not long afterwards Fr. Luis came into the office and walked slowly by my desk, hand in hand, and said to me, “Don’t worry, I have talked with HIM (he pointed his finger upwards), I am not going anywhere during these two years.”  I looked at him and we both laughed. I was touched and grateful for his thoughtfulness.

Every so often Fr. Luis would call to ask for an update on our projects. I informed him of the progress and he would listen attentively and then ask questions. When I was away for a long while he showed that he missed me; “Well, here you are! You disappeared and now you re-appear!” I gave him a kiss on his forehead followed by a hug and said: “I am busy spending your money!” “Good!” he happily replied. Then we sat together and talked about the new projects. 

Fr. Luis was a delightful and adorable man!  However, I once saw him with a sort of sad look on his face - only once.  On that day he walked into the office with a gloomy expression. I was concerned and so I asked Fr. Fernando what was the matter with Fr. Luis. He replied with a smirk on his face, “Spain’s football team lost last night!” 

One winter Fr. Luis’s personal doctor wanted him to stay in the hospital for about a week to heal the sores on his feet.  But Fr. Luis was not willing to stay because the Chinese New Year was approaching.  I promised that if he agreed to stay in hospital I would bring him the newspaper, coffee and crackers daily. He smiled and agreed to stay.  See how easy he was!  One day, he put the newspapers on the bedside and said, “Are you free?”  “Yes!”  “Good, let’s talk!”

“What do you think of President Obama?”

“How about Hilary Clinton? Why….. “Our conversation went on for about an hour. This was the first time that I saw him so talkative, and I was surprised to find out that his interests were so broad.  Except, when he mentioned Afghanistan, I admitted that I didn’t know much about that country.  From that talk, I discovered how well read and knowledgeable he was.  And this was in spite of the fact that he did not talk much and did not express his opinions often.

The impression Fr. Luis gave me was one of total trust!  In all these years, he never questioned or doubted any decision that I made, not even once. When Fr. Fernando and I returned from our first trip to China and Fr. Fernando was informing Fr. Luis  all about our trip; Fr. Luis looked at my report and called out to me, “Good, just do it! Do not worry about money, I have plenty!” His encouragement and faith in God’s Providence has been with me ever since.

I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to get to know Fr. Luis and to work for him.  There is no doubt in my mind that Fr. Luis is thrilled that he got to heaven before all of us, (just look at his smile on the postcard) and I also know that he will continue to pray and watch over us from heaven! 

Cecilia (CRSS staff)

Communication matters!

Text written by Simon Chan, IT professional working in our office in Macao.

 I am Simon Chan, a semi-retired IT professional from Hong Kong working part-time for Casa Ricci in Macau. Though still young at heart, most people would think that I am in the 40+ but I am in fact over 50. Father of two sons, my elder son has graduated and now studying graduate school. My wife and I are volunteers in the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, organizing Pre-Marriage Courses for those going to get married in the Church. We are also proud to practice and teach Natural Family Planning method in parishes.

My encounters with the Jesuits went back to my secondary school days studying in Wah Yan College HK. The courageous and ground-breaking deeds of Jesuits Fathers led me to enter the Catholic Church and opened the long term relationship with the Jesuits.

The first time I heard about Fr. Luis Ruiz was in 2006 during a trip to the ShuangChuen Island in south of GuangDong province in celebration of St. Francis Xavier’s 500^th year of birth. St. Francis died on that island while waiting to go into mainland China to spread the good news of the gospel. The Wan Yan community in Hong Kong helped to renovate the chapel (or otherwise known as graveyard) and found that Fr. Ruiz was there before us to renovate the mentioned chapel.

I met Fr. Fernando Azpiroz in a Family Movement cell group gathering when he was practicing social service work in Hong Kong. Several years later, after hearing about the love & care work in China started by Fr. Ruiz, I shared the same passion immediately. How  Fr. Ruiz could start the leprosy caring work at the age of 73 without any money or people, but still provide such great service to the poor people in need, was truly an amazing miracle. With common interest in the Apple technology, Fr. Fernando and I started chatting on the modernization of Casaricci back-office and communication work. With God’s will, I am able to work part-time now in the Casa Ricci Macau office, having started in mid-2010.

My work in Casaricci falls under two main categories:

1. Information Technology support. This can be anything from selecting a printer, PC/Mac support, setting up email accounts, Internet access, to designing and operating a photo management system and a database system; and
2. Communication with Benefactors, friends and public. Besides preparing the Casaricci Newsletter “Encounter”, I also set up the Casaricci website (www.casaricci.org), a new pamphlet to introduce Casaricci, and email communication with some selected benefactors.

Through modern technology, we hope to provide more details of our charity work in China. While there are limits as to how much detail we can provide, people can generally appreciate the type of hard works and the challenging environment that we and our partners are facing. Recently we received a number of feedback from emails and letters that they can now understand more of our works through the newsletter, website, blogs etc. These are in fact great encouragement to our work. We also pray that our Lord can reward our front-line workers and partners for their health and happiness either on earth or in heaven.

Simon Chan

Lucy and Casa Ricci

Written by Lucy Chang, who is in charge of Casa Ricci's correspondence in Spanish.

1 – Why did you come to Casa Ricci? What motivated you to embrace this work?

Before a friend of mine introduced me to this institution I had never heard of it. After that I was also introduced to a Spanish Jesuit called Fr. Ruiz, that had already been working in Macao and Mainland China for many years, bringing financial help to the poor lepers of many different places in China. Latter those donations were also used to help AIDS affected people.

I am motivated to do this work because I feel I can help other people.

2 – What is for you the most fulfilling aspect of your daily work in Casa Ricci?

What makes me feel more fulfilled is that, not being a native from this lovely place, I can nevertheless be useful in this center.

To give testimony of our faith in the middle of situations of great suffering and poverty. About the works of Fr. Ruiz in Mainland China I am responsible for the correspondence in Spanish, and for all the donations that we receive from Latin and central America. I am very consoled to see that so many people supports us and send money to help.

3 – An aspect that you consider difficult in your work with Casa Ricci. (Something that is a challenge for you)

The fact that I don’t know Chinese. Frankly speaking Chinese language with its dialects its very hard for me. I am not good in languages.

4 – An experience that you had in Casa Ricci and that has impressed you.

One thing that impresses me about Casa Ricci is that, in spite of having people from many different places, cultures and mentalities, we can come together for the sake of a common good and to help other people in need.

Lucy Chang

Our Casa Ricci

This text was written by Diana Leong who works in Casa Ricci’s office in Macau.

It has been already five years since I entered this big family of Casa Ricci. I feel that during these five years our work was always changing and improving, and I believe we are able to bring healthier life conditions and comfort to many people.

The most important part of my work is to keep contact with our benefactors. Every once in a while, I inform our benefactors about Fr. Ruiz’ mission, about the work that the staff of Casa Ricci is developing in China, and about the lives of the people we help. Sometimes I also receive letters from benefactors and friends, who also like to share about their lives with us, or to say hello to Fr. Ruiz and to the patients we help.

For me the most encouraging thing is to see that we receive help and donations from so many kind hearted people. We use this money to help the leprosy rehabilitation centers, to improve the medical assistance to leprosy patients, to build “children’s homes” and give the AIDS affected children a better environment, to help pay the studies and life expenses of children from poor families and allow them to receive education and care, etc…

As the saying goes: “many a little makes a mickle”, every little bit of help we receive from our benefactors is very precious to us. And here I am, as faithful member of this Casa Ricci family, promoting our mission and thanking all of you for your help towards the poor.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 )

Diana Leong

Story of a life

Written by Sister Teresa, who works in a center for rehabilitation of leprosy afected people in the province of Guangzhou.

A 21 years old girl is should normally be someone full of vitality, dreams, expectations and ideals of youth, but a ruthless leprosy forced Shanshan to live in our rehabilitation center isolated from the rest of the world.

Since 2009, Shanshan and her younger sister live with us at the rehabilitation center and until now I had never asked much about their family background. But now I wanted to share with all of you. I don’t do it  not  to inspire compassion, but hopping that each one of us from our different points of view can reflect about this story and gain something from it.

When Shanshan was six years old, her mother became very sick and because the family was very poor, they couldn’t get treatment for her and she passed away. On the year she turned 13, and also because of their poverty, she, her father and her younger sister were forced to leave their home and went to Shenzhen where they lived as beggars. Less than a year after, her father also got sick and died. With the help of the local police, they buried their father and afterwards were sent to live in an orphanage. One year later Shanshan finally had a chance to go to school. When she saw the other children with their parents she really envied them, and wished she too could have a mommy and a dad to take care of her.

In 2005 she was finally given a chance to go and live with a family. Mr. and Mrs. Chen’s conditions were not bad at all; he is a policeman and she also has a decent salary. Moreover they were good to her. But unfortunately Shanshan didn’t adapt well to this new environment and returned to the orphanage back with her little sister (that had also lived for a while with a different family). In 2009 Shanshan went to study in a technical school and her sister was in middle school. At that time, her sister’s arms and legs slowly began to lose sensibility and finally became numb. This situation worsened to the point that she would began to develop injuries all over her body without feeling pain. One year after the first symptoms, she couldn’t walk normally anymore, and her face was completely disfigured.  Finally she was diagnosed with leper. It was then that the nurse that took care of her, suggested that Shanshan would also be examined by a doctor because she had been together with her younger sister most of the time and had also experienced some of the same symptoms. After the medical exam she found out she also had leper. The news stroke the two sisters like a thunderbolt, and after that, in February of 2009, the director of the orphanage together with some teachers brought them to our center of rehabilitation for leprosy affected people.

In these two years nothing impressed more than to see the two sisters bravely facing all the difficulties and hardships that life has been repeatedly throwing at them. But I worry about them. What disturbs me more is the concern about their future; one day they will have to go back to the big family of society, and I don’t know how they face it. And here we can only rely on their own ability to change and let themselves be changed and continue to grow until the end. Aren’t we all like that?  In our lives, none of us received the promise that things would always be easy and smooth. Sometimes we have to “row upstream”.

April 2011

Sister Teresa

The Source of Joy: Fr. Ruiz and Casa Ricci

Dear friends these are the links to the video with the story of Fr. Ruiz and Casa Ricci's service in Macao and China.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irw7rqtp8HQ

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=900mNT4uxIA&feature=related

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbmFV5wpPnE&feature=related

Hope you enjoy it and that it helps us all to fell greater communion with Fr. Ruiz, and with Casa Ricci's mission.

Being touched

Written by Theresa Chou, who is responsible for Casa Ricci’s leper rehabilitation programs.

Wangdu is located in the district of Baoding, Province of Hebei. It is a small city and not very developed. Without having any special natural resources, it is respected for its ability to preserve the traditional rustic flavor of old Chinese towns. The day we arrived there to pay a visit, was exactly the last day of the Chinese Spring Festival, and the streets were crowded with people running up and down to buy the traditional paper lanterns for their celebration. We took a taxi, and headed for the center of rehabilitation for leprosy affected people, where the 3 sisters who live there where already waiting for us.

The first thing that came to my mind was to go see our friend, which I like to call “Jesus’ loved one”. He is a leprosy patient that was blessed by God with a beautiful singing voice. I am not sure when was it that he lost his eye sight and became completely blind, but the deep impression he caused in me the first time we met is still very alive in my memory. On that occasion he was asked to offer us a song. While he was singing his blind eyes where suddenly filled with tears that rolled down his face. Then he turned around and wiped his face with the coat’s sleeve. Was he moved by the beauty of the moment, or simply embarrassed to find himself – a Chinese Man – crying in public? I will never know for sure, but I could sense in him a deep touch of melancholy that quickly spread to all of us and made us feel an indescribable sadness. I am sure that none of them wanted to leave their homes and “be forced” to live isolated with a group of strangers.

One day, the sisters told me that he often says how much he misses his parents. He begged the sisters to accompany him to his home in the northeast but, not without great sadness, they had to tell him that it would be very difficult for them to take him there because for a blind man, even the most basic actions such as going to the toilet would be very hard, especially if he has to be on a train that takes several nights and days to get to the destination. When he sang for us, he chose a song that is precisely about how “there is nothing like mother’s love under heaven”. Can you imagine what he was feeling at that moment? Completely heartbroken. Even if he tried to smile at the end of the song, there was no way he could hide such a strong feeling. Many years ago he still had a sister that came to visit him, but afterwards his family ceased to contact with him. One of the problems is that, if people discover he has leper, they will start rejecting his whole family. How would his parents be able to live then? The simple thought of this was enough to make him doubt his idea of visiting his family.

When was the last time we made someone cry of happiness? When we touch someone in this way, especially those who are lonely and suffer the most, we give them the strength they need to continue hoping that their lives are still worth living.

March, 2011

Forty Days in the Love and Care Center

In 2010 I visited the Love and Care Center in Hunan Province, not long after my year-long chemo treatment in Taiwan and before going back to my teaching career.

I went there with a grateful and zealous heart and at the same time a weak and wearied body, I felt myself in a quest for inner healing. I remembered several years ago I have browsed the newsletter of Casa Ricci Social Services and was deeply struck by their multiple projects in Mainland China. After I received the permission of my community, Teresian Association, I volunteered to give some language lessons to the Sisters who work in the Love and Care Center. Fr. Fernando discussed with the Sisters and informed me they were glad of having language lessons. In God’s Providence, I spent forty days in the Love and Care Center. 

            In July 2010, was the first time I visited the Love and Care Center. We had individual classes from morning till evening in those ten days. All the Sisters learned with great enthusiasm, in spite of the hectic schedule amid their heavy working load. We had countless moments of fun and joy in teaching and learning. I was much moved by the Sisters eagerness to empower themselves in one way or another. Although I did not have much contact with the patients, from the sharing of the Sisters I found their mission was so attractive. The life stories of patients revealed a world not only filled with discrimination and marginalization, but also with dignity, love and care. The Sisters’ selfless generosity and profound happiness attracted me to know more about the mission of Love and Care Center.

            After a month, I paid another visit to the Love and Care Center. This time I stayed a bit longer. Aside from teaching the Sisters, I had classes with an adult patient as well. We became friends soon and he shared with me many of his opinions about life. I would always remember how excited and delighted he was when we revised those English phrases he was familiar with. Regarding the children patients, we played English games three times a week. During day time, they always asked to have English games in the evening. Their cheerful laughter will be forever on my memory. Through the fun of learning, life became different. I was happy that I could contribute in my small way.

            Apart from teaching, I was also invited to almost all the activities of the Center, such as visiting  a senior citizens compound in Mid-Autumn Festival, fruit harvesting with all the patients, making calendars in manual workshop, annual evaluation and planning workshop, etc. The Love and Care Center is an AIDS medical center which admits the seriously ill patients, it is amazing that because of the loving care of the Sisters many patients get better and better.
            From time to time we talked about many of the aspect of life in the Center, and there I discovered more of the generous self-giving spirit of the Sistes. This rekindled my heart.

Regardless of all the bitterness in life and all the bodily pains, the patients always wear friendly smiles. When I worked with them in the manual workshop, they were fond of making jokes. The atmosphere in the Center is so welcoming. Like a family, the Sisters, the adult patients, the children patients and the volunteers live together in harmony and share different responsibilities cooperatively. No one treated me as a stranger, but as a menber of the family, and I am very grateful to them all. Meeting them and having their friendship, gave me a lot strengh and even now that I am far awayI can still "drink" from so much good that I have received at the Love and Care Center.

                                                                                                            Katherine, Feb 2011

The “Epic” task of the Love and Care Center

This text was written by Sister Jacqueline. She serves in the Love and Care Center in Hunan and is responsible for the manual workshops there.

For the first time the manual workshop of our Love and Care Center was asked to accomplish a task of great proportions: to produce 2000 wooden calendars was something impossible to imagine for us, but it was a challenge that we wanted to accept. We had only one purpose: to finish the task and make sure we had all the calendars done well and on time.

After we prepared all the materials needed we gathered to do a working plan: 1) to decide the number of persons needed to do the work; 2) to plan the progressive steps of the process; 3) to divide the work and to make sure everyone was aware of their responsibility.

Before we had to design the samples we didn’t realize how complex and detailed it was. But when we started doing it we found out that it would be much harder than we expected:

1.                  Two female patients, two volunteers and a sister were responsible for making 2000 auspicious Chinese calendars and 4000 buttons.

2.                  One sister, at the big wooden board, was responsible for drawing and measuring every small piece.

3.                  The patient in charge of the mechanical instruments was responsible for cutting and trimming all the parts.

4.                  Two sisters, at the small board, were in charge of duplicating the English and Chinese logo of Casa Ricci Social Services.

5.                  Two patients, using the electric iron machine, were in charge of ironing down the previously prepared characters.

6.                  Cooperating together, we used sand paper to polish the wooden border of the characters so that they would be completely smooth.

7.                  We all helped in painting the back side of the planks with oil colors.

8.                  Two female patients and the volunteers had to shape the patterns and print them separately into each bamboo tablet.

9.                  The person responsible for the mechanical instruments cut the 2000 pieces that were previously printed.

10.              We all cooperated in grinding the bamboo sticks into different thick and thin parts.

11.              The person in charge of the machines cut 6000 plaques for the top part of the pattern.

12.              We all used sand paper to polish these parts.

13.              Together, the patients and the sisters sprayed all the previously designed parts with different colors.

14.              One patient used the curved knife to carve the dark colored details of the frame.

15.              We all helped in polishing these parts.

16.               After that we all pasted the parts together.

17.              Then we polished again the margins and the surface so that they would be even.

18.              We pasted in the Chinese part of Casa Ricci’s logo.

19.              We made the holes to hang the Chinese auspicious calendar.

20.              Paint the final layer of color.

21.              Hang the calendar part and pack all in boxes.

Every task’s difficulty is different. To make Chinese calendars and buttons might seem a relaxing job. But to make them beautiful and resistant we had to use a string and pull hard to adjust the parts. Because of the friction and because we did it for such a long time the skin from our fingers was pulled off and our fingernails broken.

To cut bamboo plates correctly we need to measure the size and the angles very carefully, so each time we have to measure several times before cutting. The reason why we could finish such a big work is because Fr. Roberto offered the machines to us. We are very grateful to him. If we didn’t have these machines we would never dare to accept such a task. Right from the beginning we needed to cut 6000 parts, so the person who works with the machines spent 3 months from morning to night working at the machine. He said: “Being there all by myself with no one to talk to was very tiring and I often felt very sleepy”. In fact, because of the tiredness, there were a few times in which he almost fell asleep and injured is hand.

The process of ironing the characters is the hardest and most important part. Because the electric iron is so long it is very hard to control by hand, so after ironing each stroke of the characters our hand starts trembling. Moreover, because of their sickness, the patients often lose sensibility in their hands and feet, even to the point of burning themselves several times in their hands and arms. Even so, we did not want to lower our expectations regarding the quality of the calendars. Verifying the quality was, each time, the most painful moment for me because if we found some mistakes even in one single character we would throw away the whole piece. When I saw every one working so hard to iron those characters I really didn’t have the heart to throw them away just because of a few mistaken strokes, but they said to me: “No problem, it’s good to be a bit demanding with ourselves, you can throw them away. It’s much better to throw them away now then to have people throw them away latter because they are not well done.” Their attitude touched me very much, and at the same time encouraged me to continue trusting in ourselves. And so we threw away 700 pieces.

It took us one month and a half to iron all the characters, more than we had predicted, so I began to worry about not being able to finish the work in time. But then they told me: “Don’t worry, since we promised we will make it in time, we will take less time to rest and eat, and more time to work.” And indeed it was so; some of them start getting up at 4:30 in the morning to work, and kept working in spite of tiredness and discomfort. Normally they would go to bed early to rest and recover, but now they were moved by a strong will and wanted to finish their mission.

Each of us had different tasks but we all helped each other. Apart from the patients, the sisters, two volunteers and also the children all participated in making the calendars. Apart from the ironing of the characters and other tasks that need a machine operator, we all cooperated, for example in painting, pasting the frames and pictures, polishing, etc… To polish well the calendars, especially the small parts, is a hard process, and because it hearts our hands and fingernails it is also easy to lose patience while doing it. After we finished it they said: “To polish is really annoying, it makes you want to give up, but if we are not persistent here we will lose even more time”, and so they convinced themselves to keep working hard.

When we were pasting the pictures the children helped us very energetically. Even the smallest said to me while he was helping: “We have to be careful in choosing the right colors and sizes; we don’t want to use the wrong ones.”

One of the volunteers didn’t really know how to paint and so she was very slow, it took her a long time to paint just a few pieces. One of the patients told her: “Don’t worry about how many you can make. The important is that you are here with us and we are grateful for that.”

Thanks to everyone’s hard work and collaboration we could, in the end, finish our task in time. After we heard that all the calendars had reached the office in Macao and that they were very happy with the calendars we felt very relieved. We were all so happy: what was hardship and tiredness became joy and is now for us something we can always recall with joy. The next time we gathered we wanted to evaluate and summarize our experience.  Here are a few things we said at that meeting:

“We have learned things we never imagined before, I never thought we could still do such a fine work.”

“I couldn’t stand so much time sitting on the bench without moving from there and feeling my feet numb, but I still persisted!”

“When I was doing this work I felt my heart was at peace”.

“I think it helped me grow in patience”.

We all shared what was in our hearts and what we felt during this time. I could feel how much it had helped them build up their self confidence. I believe this experience will be something they will always cherish.

Maybe you found some imperfections on that present, but you can be certain that it was a present that we prepared the best we can, and that we offer you wholeheartedly.

December 2010

Sister Jacqueline

The Invitation

Written by Cecilia who, in Casa Ricci, is responsible for the programs of rehabilitation for HIV affected persons.

In mid-May, Fr. Fernando and I headed out for a 4-week long journey to Mainland. For more than a year we had been searching for an opportunity to lend our services to people with AIDS. We had rejected an earlier proposal by a local official to assist in a project when we discovered that he was only interested in the financial aspect but not the actual service of the people.

At our third stop, we visited an AIDS organization run by a man named Edward. What we found was something beyond our expectations. Edward gave us an overview of his organization’s operation which provides shelter for AIDS patients and advises their families. One of his best practices is to hire HIV carriers to work for him by providing counseling services inside the hospital. We exchanged experiences with Edward, briefing him on our leper projects, outreach programs, scholarship programs, and the AIDS work. Edward lamented that his organization has so many needs.  After a few discussions, we began to think about the possibility of collaboration.

In the afternoon, we visited one of his shelters for AIDS patients. Edward told us that once a hospital brought an orphan over to them because no one wanted to adopt him, not even his grandparents! His center serves adult AIDS patients only, and they are not set up to care for children. But Edward didn’t have the heart to turn the orphan down because he had no place to go. So the child stayed. Then one thing led to another and within two short months they had five HIV children. This has made the living conditions much worse and now they are very crowded. Edward is in desperate need of funds because if budget does not allow him to relocate the children.

We spoke to Edward about our HIV orphanage plan. After listening to us Edward said, “Do you think you can give us a Sister to care for the children?” At that moment my heart started singing, although my ears could hardly believe what I was hearing. “What?!” I said. He repeated that they needed a good caretaker for the children. I responded with joy that we would be happy to try to send him not only one Sister but two! When we least expect it HE opens the door for us!

After a month, I located five congregations and talked with each local superior to brief them on the HIV orphan project and idea of inviting the Sisters. Surprisingly, they all expressed a desire to work with us, and asked what qualifications the Sisters would need to have. Afterwards I drafted the following response and sent it to them.

 

We are not asking for the sister to have knowledge of AIDS care,

But we would like her to have patience and compassion;    

We do not require her to have medical expertise,

But, we would like her to be responsible;

Neither do we demand administrative talents,

But we would like her to be able to live her faith with joy. 

During the period of service, the sisters will learn from the children, and we will provide a training opportunity. We believe the technical skills can be learned, but the motivation of service has to be there from the beginning.    

If HE can plant a seed to nurture, it will grow and bloom. We believe we can provide parental love to the children, and help them reclaim the lost affection; regain their confidence, sense of virtue and the desire to study.                    

Since then, the music has not stopped, and I cannot stop singing!

As of now, we are setting up our fourth HIV orphanage.

Cecilia

Given Happiness

This text was written by Liu Huixian, young Chinese volunteer that spent nearly 6 months living and serving in one of our Children’s homes.

I come from Hebei Province, will be 22 years old this year, and my name is Liu Huixian. I was born in a Catholic family. From the generation of my grandparents on we already had Catholics in the family, and I also have an uncle who is a priest. Because I grew in this Catholic familiar environment, it was very natural for me to think of going and do something for people who need help.

  I am very glad that this year such an opportunity came up. My uncle helped and encouraged me to sign up, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to grow, and to learn many things, and so I signed up and came to the Children’s Home.

At the Children’s home, I would start to work at 6:30. In the morning, after getting out of bed, the first thing was to help the children with their hygiene, and also to clean up their rooms. The children have to take their medicine everyday at 7:30, and after they all finished I would take them to school. One of the schools they attend does not prepare lunch for them, so I had to go pick some of the children, bring them back home for lunch and then accompany back to school in the afternoon. After I left them at school I would return home and start taking care of their clothes, so that when they returned they would each have their own cloth in order and ready to wear. After I finished arranging the clothes, I would rest a bit and then leave again to go pick them up from school and bring them home. In the evening we would do the homework together. I was in charge of helping all the children of primary school age to do their homework. Because the children are so many, when it’s time for them to take their medicine they have to form a line and go one by one not to make any mistakes. At first I would not help with this, but after I got more familiar with the process I also stared to help giving them their medicine.

There, each time I took the children to school I had to do it in two turns, because in the electric bike I drive I could only take 2 children each time. Even so, the process of bringing them to school and back home each day always made me feel happy because I would go all the way talking very joyfully with them. In the evening, they especially liked to call me and to have me helping them doing the homework. And while they were doing it, my brain would always start to work, and I would think a lot about all this I was living. Also they often asked me many questions, very interesting and even deep questions, and this would force to think even harder in search for answers.

One of the experiences that impressed me more was to meet one of our little boys. At home he was very active and lively, but _ I had never would imagined it _ in school he would suddenly become very silent and would not talk to anyone. Even during the long class breaks he would not even call the other classmates to play. So I asked him: “When you are at school with whom do you play? What do you do during the breaks?” He answered: “In the breaks I always stay inside the classroom doing my homework and reading the book, I don’t play with them.” Then I asked: “Why don’t you play with the other children? You spend such a long time in school, with whom do you speak?” He said: “They are bad, so I don’t play with them. I stay and talk with myself.” When I heard this I was shocked. It was obvious that he was closing himself. After this I talked with one of the teachers about this and she was also very worried about it. Then we decided to give him a special mission: he would have to talk with his classmates in school; it was new a rule for him. If this is not “corrected” now, then when he grows up it will be impossible to do. Now he is much better, he is just shy and a bit insecure about talking with others, but much better. After seeing this kind of situations I think that the help we give is not only material help, but more importantly the psychological and “human help” that we can give by giving them the care they need most.

There is also a small girl (still in Kindergarten) that was participating in a drawing class. Whenever she drew a new painting she would come home and offer it to me. But she wouldn’t give it to me directly. First she would come and tell me that she had made a new painting. Then she would wait for me to ask her if I could see it, and only then would she let me see it. This was very important for her self-respect. She came from an orphanage, and she doesn’t know who her parents are, but she would invent many things about her “imaginary” parents. Before I left them and came back to my home, she came to me and told me very seriously not to forget to take all her drawings with me. I told her not to worry, and that I would treasure every one of them. She really needs our care and attention, and because her personality is so special (and complicated) every time we were together I always needed to think really hard of ways of helping her without hurting her feelings.

To be honest, I must say that when I arrived at the Children’s home and during the first weeks I was really afraid. I was afraid of contracting some decease form the Children (they all suffer from AIDS), and during the first month I often had nightmares because of this. I was worried that I might get infected and often thought about how bad that would be for my family and of course for me. So, I tried to find a balanced way of helping the children while protecting my security at the same time. But, as the time passed, my fears slowly disappeared and the more time I spent with them, the more I would forget about those fears and bad thoughts. And even if many of them are very naughty and would make me angry sometimes, I also feel that they brought me much joy. They would pull my hand to go and play games with them, and be near them. To their eyes I am like an older sister, and even if they were told to call me “aunt”, they would not agree and continue to call me “big sister”.

At the Children’s home I learned many things that are not in books, I learned a little more about what it means to grow as a person, and how much helping others also helps us to grow. I am very grateful for the time I spent there, and especially for the feeling that my life is more meaningful because of that.

28/Jan/2011

Liu Huixian