My Experience From The 8th EMI Conference

Sharing from Sr. Maria Dipal, RGS

Sr. Maria with the children of a Filipino migrant

during the bread and soup lunch.

"80% of my parishioners are migrants," said Fr. Arin. It is very encouraging for me to see how the church provides place, space for the various groups / communities enabling them to carry out activities. I can feel the welcoming spirit among them, a strong sense of belonging. I am deeply touched by the “free bread and soup” given to parishioners every Sunday after mass. Migrants serving migrants. This bread baking activity, initiated by Bishop Cornelius Sim seems simple and yet I see it as a way of building connection and friendship among the people and the church.

Sharing from Shirley Joseph

It was a meaningful and fruitful experience! I am grateful to God and to Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom for this valuable opportunity given to me. The 8th Annual EMI Conference had taught me many new things that I can put into practice in my Diocesan Human Development Ministry. I learnt how to do a proper and effective fund raising. I have to be persistent to be successful in fund raising projects and not to be shy asking for donations for the sake of helping others or my ministry. My confidence level was boosted up and I had become more positive. I thanked Ann Woo for the wonderful and well-presented workshop.         

I am more aware of the reality of life, as human being that we are people on the move. Migration has been part of our lives. It is happening everywhere around the world; whether crossing the country boarder or just from our remote birth place to the town area nearby to look for a better life and better future. There are people who got hurt during the process of migrating for whatever reasons. Problems cannot be completely overcome but it can be reduced. That is why I think I am being called and chosen, to be a true follower of Jesus; I must reach out to these people. I thanked the host diocese as this conference had given me the chance to meet the people from my homeland who are emigrants in Brunei. This has made me understand and care more for those immigrants in my homeland, Sabah.