The year 2007 started well for the DCBC Women’s Fellowship, keeping the momentum it gained in 2006 when the women re-organized after some years of hibernation. Several church activities were spearheaded by the Women’s Fellowship last year, including the Adult Literacy Program, a couple of rummage sales, the Student Fellowship Dinner, and other meal-fellowship occasions, to name a few. There was a September luncheon meeting at the home of Ate Liddy Arcellana in Fairview. There are also the regular activities, notably the Helpers’ Fellowship Bible Study and Discipleship Program, steadily continuing from year to year.

Retreating in silence…
Quietly jumpstarting this year’s activities was an overnight Women’s Retreat held last January 26-27 at Sambahay Samaritana in Fairview, Quezon City. It was evidently a welcome activity for a good number, as reflected in the relatively “high” attendance of thirteen ladies. For some, it was to fulfill a long-cherished desire to step back from daily routine and seek guidance on possible new directions in career and ministry. For others, it was to take a break from the demands of work and family and have an extended time of prayer and reflection. And for more than a few, it was an opportunity to get to know their sisters in the fellowship better.

Among those present were some ladies too busy with pressing matters to attend most functions of the Women’s Fellowship. There was Ate Miriam Alcantara, Ate Flor Ignacio, Rose Edillon, Sally Morrow, and Jing Ocampo. Fellowship coordinator Belen Ortega, Adel Santos (who made the retreat arrangements), Ate Lety Magalit, Janet Espina, Mayot Portugal, Frances Ibañez, Ada Quiwa, and Shiilah Arcilla completed the roster of thirteen ladies.

The theme of the retreat was, “Take Time to Listen – A Journey with Martha and Mary.” Serving as retreat companion (she preferred this to “retreat master”) was Ms. Thelma Nambu, counselor and spiritual director of Samaritana Transformation Ministries, Inc. She and her husband Jonathan, who manages the serene and tastefully built retreat house where the ladies stayed, gave a warm welcome to everyone as they arrived for dinner Friday night.

After their fill of the simple yet satisfying home-cooked meal prepared by the house staff, the ladies sat down to an orientation. Aside from informing the ladies of the house rules, the orientation also served to acquaint them with the kind of activities they could expect in the next twenty or so hours they would be together.

A study of the Bible passage (Luke 10:38-42) on Martha and Mary served as the springboard for what proved to be a new and different experience for many of the ladies. Most of the sessions were given to learning about and doing contemplative forms of prayer… in silence. A schedule was set for evening, morning, and noon prayers held in the prayer room. It was a structured form of prayer where Scripture reading was interspersed, not with the usual hymns or worship songs, but with chants based on the Psalms. At times, the participants were asked to reflect on the passage read and share what part of the text most struck them and what it meant to them.

There were lots of opportunities for time alone with oneself. During these times the ladies were encouraged to meditate and pray alone using Scripture as well as other forms of reflection such as praying with nature and walking “the labyrinth” (again, in silence).

Of course there were also occasions for sharing thoughts and reflections with a partner or with the group as a whole. The ladies’ creativity was challenged in the final session when they were asked to find within the grounds of the retreat place an object they could identify with and which reflected their spiritual lives at the moment. From a blade of grass, to a broken clay pot, to a bouquet of flowers, it was interesting and quite revealing how each one was able to share with the other ladies a glimpse of her life.

The Women’s Retreat will hopefully just be the first of many opportunities for bonding and encouragement as the ladies continue to strengthen their fellowship with each other in their walk in the Lord.

This tranquil start was continued in the relaxed pace of Women’s Fellowship activities (not necessarily reflecting the busy lives of the individual ladies). After the retreat, there was only the regular Helpers’ Bible Study. Then there was the March 11 Baccalaureate Dinner of the Sunset service. This was really an annual activity of the Sunset service for its graduating students, with the Women’s Fellowship asked merely to sponsor and organize the Baccalaureate dinner.

Meet-up and “eat-up”…
April 21 was like a scene replayed almost a year to the day. The spacious bungalow porch with chairs set informally in a semi-circle, a homey buffet table on the side laden with serving dishes and pitchers of cold drinks, a group of women cheerily coming together on a hot summer morning. But unlike on April 9 of last year, Ate Aida Mojica’s porch did not look so spacious this April 21 as twenty-five women filled the place for the Annual Planning Meeting (with lunch) of the Women’s Fellowship.

Among the twenty-five ladies who found the time out of their schedules to break last year’s attendance record of eighteen were, of course, gracious hostess Ate Aida, fellowship coordinator Belen Ortega, Ate Lety Magalit, Ate Espie Ibañez, Ate Pilar Quiwa, Ate Liddy Arcellana, Ate Jenny Llaguno, and Ate Alma Cruz. Also showing up early (or later) were Lisa Bersales, Belle Villanueva, Jay Rocha, Sally Morrow, Nam Ugaddan, Maquette Alforque, Anj Backstrom, Frances Ibañez, Ada Quiwa, Nina Danao, Shiilah Arcilla, Mikay de Leon, and Sharon Fangonon.

Belle’s sister-in-law, Aleli Villanueva was a guest from neighboring Church of the Risen Lord (CRL). The final three of the twenty-five were lodgers of Ate Aida, notably Swiza Español who also attended the March Discovery Meetings, as did Aleli.

First on the agenda for the day was a testimony sharing by Sally who talked about her life as a missionary at Faith Academy where she teaches high school English. She shared vignettes of her joys and challenges as a teacher and mother, collectively under the title “Juggling for the Lord.” She emphasized that a Christian woman’s life is a balancing act of God, family, and work. She also shared how church life in DCBC has been a source of encouragement to her whole family.

After Sally’s talk, Belen Ortega called on some of the ladies responsible for ministries the group has been undertaking. Jay Rocha updated everyone on the Helpers’ Fellowship, focusing on the ongoing activity for household helpers being handled by Adel Santos. Adel is conducting a series she designed herself of Bible study cum counseling sessions with the helpers as a support activity of the Helpers’ Discipleship Program.

Nam Ugaddan briefed the group on the Adult Literacy Program which started May of last year and concluded its first year this March. Suggestions for improvement, concerns about dwindling attendance, need for volunteer teachers, and prospects of opening the program to others in the UP community were discussed by the group. Nam also restored the reins of the program to Ate Espie Ibañez who just arrived from a year in the US.

The lively discussion had to be put on hold as the ladies paid attention to their rumbling tummies. Lunch was the next item on the day’s agenda. The meet-up became an “eat-up” as the ladies daintily feasted on Ate Aida’s pansit molo, the chicken dumplings coddled in their own broth, and Ate Pilar’s pochero, the tomato-based sauce robust with meat and vegetables. In as ladylike a way as possible, the group made short work of Jay’s refreshing cucumber salad, Belen’s pansit palabok, Ate Liddy’s roast chicken, Ate Jenny’s and Belle’s siomai dipped in tangy soy sauce, and crisp-fried lumpiang Shanghai from Rexie (who coordinated the potluck lunch).

The ladies welcomed the cold drinks so thoughtfully provided by Ate Aida, Belle, Anj, and Frances, and topped lunch off sweetly with fresh fruits, lemon squares, and brownies courtesy of Ate Lisa, Maquette, and Nina.

It was not long though before the ladies were back at work, this time cooking up more activities for the year. The group decided to meet every other month and suggestions on the kind of activities to do during these meet-ups include cooking and baking sessions, book reviews — even ballroom dancing lessons, and self-defense classes.

Ministry opportunities that the group looked into were another “ukay-ukay” fundraiser for the church camp (rummage sales being a fundraising staple), better division of labor in food coordination for church affairs, more volunteer teachers for Sunday School, a summer outing for the helpers (May 5 at the La Mesa Eco Park), among others. The possibility of continuing to extend help to the Philippine Children’s Mission in Bulacan was also broached.

Belen expressed the need for a core group to serve the fellowship, so the ladies wasted no time “volunteering” Shiilah and Ada to be the group’s secretary and treasurer, respectively. (The younger ladies just could not say no to the older women in the fellowship who “outranked” and outnumbered them.) Belen announced she will also continue to solicit the help of the rest in planning the future activities.

As the session came to a close, Anj handed out sheets of paper printed with a “prayer calendar” for April and May. It was almost like a repeat of her “Getting to Know” activity last year in which the ladies were asked to get the signatures of as many of those present who fit the descriptions in the matrix. This time, however, rather than just collecting the most number of signatures to “win,” one collected the names of as many of those present as possible for the purpose of praying for them, one person a day.

Indeed what a wonderful reminder it was to pray for one another over and above doing church ministry together. Fellowship is made even stronger when believers pray for one another.

May the Lord bless the work of your hands, ladies of the DCBC Women’s Fellowship! And may you be a source of encouragement as well to the other groups in church (especially the Men’s Fellowship, to come out of their long hibernation and jumpstart their own activities).