Moving

Hey everyone. I have recently moved my blog. You can now read it at http://agirlwhodreams.com/

A Glimse of 2010...

This has been another crazy year with my youth ministry work, grad school, playing music, and trying to keep up with friends and family. There are a few things that I am so grateful for this year that have helped me to grow and change as a person for the better.

One thing that has changed me the most is the graduate program that I’m in. I’ve learned so much from all the classes that I took this year. I feel so much more knowledgeable about my faith and now understand the “why” behind beliefs instead of just accepting something just because someone told me to. We are taught how to think for ourselves and how to discover and search for answers to the many questions about faith issues. Theology is faith seeking understanding and the search for truth is a lifelong journey. We can’t pretend or insist that we already know everything there is to know about God and faith. There’s always more we can discover and learn. In fact, the more I learn about life, the more I realize how much there is about this life that I don’t know and may never know.

“As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.” ~Socrates

This has taught me to be humble and to be more open to learning new things. Even if I don’t agree with the ideas or beliefs of others, I recognize the importance of still learning about what they think and believe. Everyone has their own life experiences and the more we can make the effort to understand where someone else is coming from the more we can realize that we actually have more in common with each other than we think.

A few of the classes I took this year also really inspired me to become more aware of what goes on in the world and fueled my passion for social justice. We are lucky to live a privileged life here in the U.S. but in other parts of the world there are so many people who struggle for even the most basic of life’s necessities like food and water. I’ve really pushed my students this year to learn about social justice issues going on in the world and to make a difference, even if it’s in small ways. Our theme for this year is, “Make a Difference.” I hope at least some of my passion has rubbed off on them. I believe that we are all called to be the face of Christ to the world by helping others and loving others deeply.

Something else that I’ve been so thankful for is real and lasting friendship. I’ve learned a few life lessons about friendship this year that have challenged me but also helped me to grow as well.

I’ve begun to recognize just how much of a blessing my friends are in my life and how much they care about me.

“Friendship is a blessing in any life. For believers it is also one of the ways God communicates God’s own friendship. But for friendship to flourish, neither the friendship nor the friend can be seen as an object to be possessed. One of the best gifts to give a friend is freedom.” ~James Martin

Most of my closest friends live in far away places at the moment and yet I’ve still managed to still maintain those relationships and stay connected with their lives. I guess I can thank technology for helping with that! Since moving out here several years ago, it has been a struggle to find meaningful, real friendships. It’s hard to find a good friend, especially one that you can really connect with. For the true friends I’ve been lucky enough to find, I am so thankful. I wouldn’t have made it through the year without you. I can’t even begin to explain how much even a simple chat over coffee or a skype session can really fill me up with joy. So thank you!

I am also very thankful for a job that I love and find meaningful. It definitely has its challenges and struggles but the fulfillment I get from my ministry has been worth it. The teens I work with always fill my life with laughter and joy. I love watching them grow and discover their unique gifts. I know that they look up to me and I try my best to be a good role model and to encourage them and help them recognize their own worth and value. Every time I see a teen step up into a leadership role I feel so proud. The awesome things these teens accomplish never ceases to amaze me!

One last thing…

Ok, I have to admit something. This summer I had to move out of my apartment and I debated on what city to move to. I finally decided to move to Forest Grove because it seemed like my only option. I was so resistant at first because I had never lived in a small town before and could not bear the thought of being so far away from a big city! However, I soon found myself secretly enjoying the small town life and the joy that came from feeling more like a local. I love that Forest Grove is tucked away in the country, away from the busyness of traffic, shopping malls, and people always in a hurry. So as much as I like to outwardly complain about the lack of fun things to do in Forest Grove, I’ve really grown to love where I live… and I’m very thankful for discovering that.

I have so many more things to be thankful for this year that I wasn’t able to include…but perhaps another time!

Thanks for reading.

Yours truly,
a girl who dreams

Digital Story of the Nativity

I've been meaning to post some things...I know I always say that. But I really have to have some inspiration to feel like writing. So look for some posts soon. In the meantime, I thought I'd just share a cool video about the Digital Story of the Nativity. Cheers!

I Don't Even Know What to Title This Post...

Well it is about time I made another post. I guess I haven’t written in a while because I’ve been busy. But that’s not really a good excuse because when is my life not busy??? Well, I’ve been doing school again this semester…I just finished up my last classes and now I just need to write my final papers. BLAH. Don’t get me wrong. I love school, just not having to write the papers. But I guess it’s not so bad. For my Liturgy class, I’m writing a paper on Simbang Gabi, which is a Christmas Filipino tradition. They do a novena starting nine days before Christmas and there’s lots of fun music, decorations and of course excellent Filipino food! For my Religion and Culture class I’m writing about Ignatian spirituality. If you’ve attended a Jesuit university you might recognize this. Basically Ignatian spirituality is about finding God in all things and becoming a contemplative in action – meaning living your life as a prayer. Our spiritual life doesn’t just include going to church and praying – it includes everything from friends, family, playing music, baking cookies, washing dishes…God is found in everything. Putting our faith into action is a big part of the Ignatian way of life and that is why I seem to resonate so much with it. I love being able to help people and work for social justice! So let’s just hope I can focus on finishing these papers soon. That way I can join in all the enticing festivities this holiday season has to offer. Snuggling up by the fire with Christmas cookies, coffee, and a good book sounds nice…

Cheers!

Yours truly,
a girl who dreams

Live. Laugh. Love

Well it seems that I have not posted in a long time…whoops. All I can say is that life is crazy. I went to China this summer which was an amazing adventure. I can check that off my List. If you want to see pictures you can find them on my facebook. If I have time I’ll write a post about my travels, but that may be awhile…

I also just moved to Forest Grove. I have been avoiding this for three years now (only because it is so far away from everything) but now that I am here I love it. Funny how that is. I love that I get to ride my bike to work everyday and I that am within walking distance from downtown. When I’m biking I tend to notice my surroundings more and I have really been enjoying the beautiful summer scenery. Maggie’s Buns is on my way to work if I ever want to stop by for stumptown coffee and homemade scones. I also see people I know everywhere I go so that’s pretty cool too.
Last weekend I visited one of my best friends in California. It was so good to see her and just hang out like we used to. We were long overdue for some much needed girl time. She’s one of those friends that I can hang out with and do absolutely nothing and still have a fun time. I’m really thankful for having friends like that in my life.

It’s been a good summer and it’s hard to believe that it’s almost over. My life feels so crazy sometimes but since when has life ever been calm? I’m learning to just enjoy life in the present moment…for all its joys…and the craziness too.

Mabuhay. Tumawa. Magmahal.
Live. Laugh. Love.

Yours truly,
a girl who dreams

Made in China

This is sort of a continuation of my social justice musings from the last post...

I just finished a research paper on sweatshops within the garment industry and the information I found was unsettling and not as black and white as I expected it to be. I originally chose the topic because of a news article I had read in the New York Times, “Can Low-paying Garment Industry Save Haiti?” A lot of people hoped Haiti could recover from the economic effects of the recent earthquake through an increase in the garment industry. But this was an increase in the low-paying garment industry. The argument of this type of economic approach is that by bringing in more business to the factories, more people get jobs. And those people then put that money right back into the economy when they purchase their basic needs such as food and clothing. So the economy wins. Hurray for Haiti! But what about the workers? How do they benefit from all this? With a factory job they can make $3.09/day. How is that benefiting the people of Haiti? And yet, without a factory job they are much worse off…

Sweatshops exist because large companies seek out the best place to produce their products by looking for the cheapest labor. It’s a competitive race to the bottom. Who can offer the cheapest wages? And workers desperate for jobs will accept whatever they can get.

Everyone knows what a sweatshop is. Everyone knows that sweatshops still exist today. But what do we as consumers do about it? Nothing. And if we did in fact decide to boycott a company that used sweatshops we would 1) find it really hard to do this because most companies employ sweatshops and 2) only hurt the workers because a boycott would lessen production and thereby cut jobs (and paychecks) of the workers.

Eliminating sweatshop labor would require a lot of systematic change. We can’t just boycott factories without providing the means to fix the more underlying issue – poverty. It comes down to this: what are we doing to help developing nations fight their way out of poverty so that a race to the bottom isn’t necessary anymore? To protest that factory labor exploitation is wrong is the first step but taking action needs to follow that. Unfortunately, not a lot of us have the means nor the power to affect systematic change by ourselves. That is why I believe that education among friends and family is key to getting the information out there. The more aware the public is about an issue, the more demand there is for change. Only when we can educate others will we bring together a community of people that work together to make a difference.

And what is one of the best ways to share information? Stories. That is because stories capture the heart in a way that nothing else can. I just read two very awesome books about the sweatshop industry. Where am I Wearing? by Kelsey Timmerman, and Factory Girls by Leslie T. Chang both offer interesting insight toward understanding not just the manufacturing industry but a closer look at the lives of the people who work in the factories. I highly recommend both books! Factory Girls was especially intriguing and I found myself relating to a lot of the girls that Chang interviewed. Their struggles with the need for true friendship, for upward mobility, for independence, and having to deal with boy problems and dating are all things that connect with my own life as well. It’s so cool to know that other girls across national, social, and economic lines are struggling with the same things I am. I recently found out that my Lolo (grandfather) was a migrant worker too. He had to leave his home in the Philippines to find work in Guam. He sent money back home and got to see his family maybe once a year.

We are all closer than we think and the more everyone realizes this, the more we can develop stronger relationships throughout the world. It seems such a simple thing to say but we are all human with similar human experiences of love, friendship, and struggle. So why don’t we quit fighting each other and work for peace instead? But I’m getting off the subject.

Everyone has a right to basic needs and a chance for them to better themselves and their family’s lives. This is basic Catholic Social Teaching. Human rights are the minimal conditions needed to protect human dignity. If basic rights are not met, such as the right to work, to have a living wage, and to be treated with respect, there exists a degradation of human dignity that lowers some below others. Sweatshops are no stranger to degrading human dignity by exploiting workers, depriving them of basic rights as a human being. Unfair conditions and wages create an inescapable situation for workers who have no choice but to accept the life they must lead under these conditions.

While we as workers deserve the fruits of our labor (i.e. private property) to help better our lives, if that trumps the common good we no longer have that right. Pope John Paul II explains, “The right to private property is subordinated to the right to common use, to the fact that goods are meant for everyone.” (Laborem Exercens) When there are billions of people around the world who don’t have their basic human rights met, it is our duty to alleviate that. Catholic Social Teaching calls Christians along with all people to take part in changing the conditions of the poor, the voiceless and the powerless. For how can we live in a privileged society seeking out riches and taking advantage of our right to private property when there are people who are in great need? The inequality does not have to reside in our world.

God calls us to love others and to act justly. Jesus emphasizes this notion through his example of loving all people equally, reaching out to the outcast of society and the poor and vulnerable. The call to imitate Christ is intimately tied up in the call to bring about peace and justice in our world. “According to the Christian message, therefore, our relationship to our neighbor is bound up to our relationship to God; our response to the love of God, saving us through Christ, is shown to be effective in his love and service of people. Christian love of neighbor and justice cannot be separated. “ (Justice in the World)

The more I learn about the struggles of billions of people in other countries, I feel a change within me. I can never go back to the same way of living my life. I think that a fear I have is that my passion will die out. I will become weary of trying to work for change and make a difference. “Saving the world” is tiring and often discouraging. My fear is that I’ll become discouraged and simply settle back into my former way of life, ignorant to the world around me, unaware of poignant issues in other countries, choosing to walk a path that is less unsettling and requiring no action on my part.

I hope I never go back.


Yours truly,
a girl who dreams

Does it Make YOU Uncomfortable?

I don’t know how to say it. I can’t seem to put into words everything that I’ve been experiencing and dwelling on the past few weeks. I wish I had the vocabulary of a friend of mine. He has the ability to pull out the most unique and refreshing word choices at a moments notice. But my limited and uncreative words will have to suffice for now.

“What am I referring to?” you might ask. I’m talking about a lot of things. Poverty. Water…or lack thereof. The H2O project. Sweatshops. Social justice. Solidarity. The common good. Peace. Hatred. Love. Ignorance. Understanding. Community. Empowerment. Action. All these things have pervaded my thoughts and spilled out into my conversations; they have enriched my world view and changed the way I live my life. These things have also made me uncomfortable and made those I’ve talked with uncomfortable as well.

“What are you wearing that bracelet for?” a coffee barista asks me as she rings up my pastry.

“I’m doing the H2O project. We give up all drinks except water for two weeks and the money we save by not buying juice, soda, coffee, etc we donate to an organization that provides clean water wells to developing countries,” I say all in one breath. It’s not the first time I’ve had to say this spiel. Apparently people are pretty curious about strange looking bright blue bracelets.

“Oh…I’m guessing you won’t be wanting any coffee to go with that pastry.”

I smile and ask for a water cup.

Coffee girl’s response was a fairly mild one compared to some of the reactions I’ve gotten in the last two weeks. When you’re at a bar, people notice right away if you’re not drinking, and they always want to know why. When I was asked why I wasn’t drinking, I replied with my usual H2O spiel. However, at a bar that is apparently a conversation killer as I soon found out. Sometimes people don’t know how to respond to something like that. Maybe it’s because when people go out to drink and be merry and a conversation comes up that puts them in contact with things that make them uncomfortable, they don’t like it. But I suppose this is a natural reaction for many. Who wants to dwell on poverty and exploitation in developing nations when you’re trying to have a little Friday night fun? It’s not like it’s a bad thing to want to talk about things that liven up a conversation like embarrassing stories or funny anecdotes. There’s a time and a place for everything. But what I’ve been grappling with is finding that balance between living an ordinary life and yet living in awareness and solidarity with those who live on under $2 a day.

One thing that I take away from the H2O project is a small feeling of solidarity. And when I say small I mean small. I could never pretend to have gone through the same experiences that one billion people on this planet face. I didn’t have to walk several miles to get my water, I didn’t have to share the same water source as a herd of cattle, I didn’t have to get treated for diarrhea or other water diseases. Heck, I only had to give up extra drinks like coffee and slurpees. I drank clean fresh water everyday and merely giving up the extras was more difficult than I realized. However, I felt a sense of sacrifice (hopefully experiencing even a fraction of the sacrifice that many face in getting clean water) and even that small amount was enough to change me. I never really understood what living in solidarity meant until now. Isn’t that ridiculous? And even then I don’t know that I will fully understand it until I have truly experienced and lived in poor or harsh conditions. This makes me uncomfortable because I realize how privileged we are to live in a developed nation and how complacent I have become in the comforts and pleasures of a middle class American. I now realize that anyone can give money to help poverty but nothing transforms one better than actually experiencing even a small part of it. So where does that leave me? I’m not really sure yet. It’s a journey that’s for sure and I hope to learn more, experience much more, and hopefully change myself and others along the way.

I have more to say. To be continued in Part II...

Yours truly,
a girl who dreams