Going for collections every weekend is rewarding. For not only the spirit that it fills us with but also knowing, you are doing God's work.
I have been going off and on for almost two years now. And each visit to a new Church is filled with excitement, fun and most of all 'Hope' that people will donate generously through their pockets as well as send us loads of love through their prayers and best wishes.
It's a miracle. Every single time.
You feel so touched when you see the parishioners and the resident priests open their homes and their Church to us. They not only make you feel welcome but make you feel like you are one of them. Some of the Churches we have visited, have parishioners sharing their journey of the struggle they had to go through to build their Church and how they persevered and endeavoured, with a never-say-die attitude: WE WILL HAVE A CHURCH!
In God's good time, of course.
Transport is arranged for as well as refreshments and lunch, not to forget you get to know more parishioners from our parish but who knows, you might end up meeting that schoolteacher you troubled back in the day, or some of your family and friends. Trust me, we keep meeting people who ask us, 'Do you know Mrs. X or Mr. Y from your area?'
We go to the same Church for two consecutive weekends. The first weekend we go around handing out envelopes after every mass. Fr. Austin is our PR guy. He gets people noticing us with his flair for languages by pitching to them our need to build a Church. There is no fiction involved. He lays down the facts straight and simple - who we are, where we are located, how much we have collected, how much more do we need and how they can help us.
The following Sunday we go back to the same Church to collect the envelopes and have people drop them in our boxes. Simple isn't it?
I encourage those who have never gone through such an experience to sign up for this challenge. You go out not only representing St. Joseph but you go out as a witness to Christ. Moreover, as witnesses of Christ, this is our first small step - standing proudly with our sashes and caps and dabbas, asking for help from our own flock.
Also don't worry about breakfast, tea, lunch, snacks, etc... Your mama won't recognise you after Fr. Austin is done feeding you all the wada's and chai possible :D
I have been going off and on for almost two years now. And each visit to a new Church is filled with excitement, fun and most of all 'Hope' that people will donate generously through their pockets as well as send us loads of love through their prayers and best wishes.
It's a miracle. Every single time.
You feel so touched when you see the parishioners and the resident priests open their homes and their Church to us. They not only make you feel welcome but make you feel like you are one of them. Some of the Churches we have visited, have parishioners sharing their journey of the struggle they had to go through to build their Church and how they persevered and endeavoured, with a never-say-die attitude: WE WILL HAVE A CHURCH!
In God's good time, of course.
Transport is arranged for as well as refreshments and lunch, not to forget you get to know more parishioners from our parish but who knows, you might end up meeting that schoolteacher you troubled back in the day, or some of your family and friends. Trust me, we keep meeting people who ask us, 'Do you know Mrs. X or Mr. Y from your area?'
We go to the same Church for two consecutive weekends. The first weekend we go around handing out envelopes after every mass. Fr. Austin is our PR guy. He gets people noticing us with his flair for languages by pitching to them our need to build a Church. There is no fiction involved. He lays down the facts straight and simple - who we are, where we are located, how much we have collected, how much more do we need and how they can help us.
The following Sunday we go back to the same Church to collect the envelopes and have people drop them in our boxes. Simple isn't it?
I encourage those who have never gone through such an experience to sign up for this challenge. You go out not only representing St. Joseph but you go out as a witness to Christ. Moreover, as witnesses of Christ, this is our first small step - standing proudly with our sashes and caps and dabbas, asking for help from our own flock.
Also don't worry about breakfast, tea, lunch, snacks, etc... Your mama won't recognise you after Fr. Austin is done feeding you all the wada's and chai possible :D
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