Decided to stop procrastinating and do this post when I’m relatively free this Friday morning, lol.

Anyway, Mel asked all of us a question when we were having our final sharing in Madrid, “What are the fruits of your experience here in MAGIS and WYD?”. I’ll share my first one - that of learning how to embrace difference.

For those who know me (well), you should know that I am adverse to change. I like the status quo, my comfort zone, what is known. The unknown, although it might be possibly better, always seems worse for the mere fact that the regularity I now experience must be disrupted. It’s one of the bigger reasons why I didn’t want to go overseas to study.

MAGIS and WYD was a shell shock for me. Firstly, the communication barrier was intense. Most Spaniards and the African immigrants whom I was teaching don’t know how to speak conversational English, so sharing/praying/talking was a combination of facial/hand gestures, “no entiendo!” (Spanish for “I don’t understand” haha) and an unhealthy reliance on the Mexican Americans for translations (which I suspect caused much of the meaning to be lost).

Then, there was the mass. MASS IN SPANISH! HOMILY IN SPANISH! NO ENTIENDO TTM!!!! Hahahahaha omg. Can you imagine how we struggled to pay attention and find meaning during mass? It was so foreign and disconnected. Even the Pope said the Homily in Spanish during the finale mass. It was really frustrating and sad at times, to be totally lost DURING MASS.

But Jesus spoke to me during one of these moments, saying ”this is My Church, not yours!” It was then that I realised, sitting in the crowd of individuals gathered from ALL AROUND THE WORLD, that the Church is truly universal (cliche I know, but there’s no other way to put it!). I was humbled and amused as I thought about how Jesus didn’t even speak English, and if he really wanted His way then we would have mass in Aramic/Herbrew, lol.

That was my first lesson in learning how to embrace difference. What may seem like what it should be from my perspective (that mass should be in English, since most of us speak it anyway) may not be what is needed from an objective point of view. In this context, compromise and tolerance will lead to understanding and acceptance. This was the journey that my heart and head took throughout the 3 weeks in Spain.

After just 3 days in Loyola, I fell in love with the place. Not just for the religious significance (no, I’m not going to become a Jesuit) but due to the sense of peace and happiness that permeated the surroundings. It was a quaint, quiet, little alcove where we could be ourselves. This was another sign that my heart was slowly letting go of the resistance to change - I’ve never felt a connection to a place other than Singapore before.

So here’s to embracing difference, and ultimately, change - for the greater glory of His Kingdom! (here’s the caveat, not all change is good! :P)