LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

By: Susanna Cordova

Sandakan: It was a great joy for the Catholic students of Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) and Sekolah Seni Sandakan to be able to meet again for fellowship on 24th February 2019, at St Mary’s Cathedral Sandakan parish hall. The event is a pastoral reaching-out program of SYCC (Star of Yahweh Covenant Community) for outstation Catholic/Christian students who studied in Sandakan. In his welcoming speech, Michael Lai explained to the students especially those who just enrolled in form 1, that the objectives of this program were to let them know that the Church is always here to assist them. St. Mary church is here to bring Christ’s love and to provide faith formation to all when they are studying in Sandakan. He said, the church is concerned of their well-being and encourage them to participate in the activities organised by the church whenever they are free.

In this three hours fellowship also includes an hour of sharing and advise input centered on the subject of “Protecting your faith”, by Dr. Agnes Foo from Duchess of Kent hospital of Sandakan. The sharing had caught the students’ attention on why and how they can protect their faith in their boarding life environment. They were made to understand that living in a boarding school is challenging especially in keeping up with their faith. The sharing and advice from Dr. Agnes was not only invaluable exposure for the students at their present school life but can also be applied when they go further their studies in colleges or universities.

One of the activities laid-out was a birthday celebration for January and February borne students. This was planned so as to make them feel at home, a sense of belonging with the church even though they were far away from their local church and families.

Jesse Cathleen, of Sekolah Seni a form 4 student, said that she felt so happy and blessed to come to this fellowship gathering because through the Talk by the SYCC members she is able to know more about Jesus and helped her in strengthening her faith.

Raycole Dikson from Pitas, Kudat shared, “I have been joining this fellowship since 2015, when I was still in form 1. I am so grateful and feel so touched with the aunties and uncles as well as the SYCC youths whom never feel tired to welcome and cook food for us every time we have this monthly fellowship. This is also the time for us to praise and worship together as well as to be closed with our Lord Jesus. I am in form 5 now and soon I will be completing my study in MRSM. I will always remember this gatherings especially the joy and love of Christ shared by the Church.” Indeed, this fellowship helps the students to feel at home although they came from different parishes and districts in Sabah.

Through this reaching out students’ fellowship, the SYCC hopes will bring light to the students and glorify the Father in heaven as in Mat 5:13-16.