Thirty-two members of the Peer Counselors’ Group participated in the said workshop. The activity started with an opening prayer, which depicts man as the dwelling place of God, despite his/her situation. Fr. Willie graced the occasion with his very inspiring opening remarks. According to him, Augustinian peer counselors are men and women with others. They are known to heal sometimes, remedy often and comfort always. Comfort always – extend time in order to be present and to hear the cries of the poor. They live according to the message of the Gospel values that Augustinian counselors are for the poor, for the weak and for those who need them. Fr. Willie hopes that after the workshop, the peer counselors will be renewed, inspired and very much ready to face the tribulations as peer facilitators.
The facilitators of the workshop were Ms. Jessamine Calma and Ms. Lucille Arcedas. Ms. Calma is a member of the Teresian Association and has been facilitating team-building activities in Cebu, Manila, Bacolod and wherever she is assigned. Ms. Arcedas had taken 1.5 units in Foundations of Leadership at Cornell University and she has been conducting various workshops in the Diocese of Kabankalan.
The first activity was a game on the unwrapping of gifts. Each person is a gift for others as long as the person opens himself/herself to be given and shared. The first session stressed on the knowledge of oneself through making self-mosaic and sharing with the group. The second session was the Gift of Presence in a Team, which was started with the “Mine Walk”. A triad was formed comprising a blind, a guide and one by the side (observer). Inputs and processing followed each activity.
The closing activity was the affirmation of one’s giftedness as “the salt of the earth”. The participants exchanged blessings to each other with a gesture while saying to one another, “You have been blessed, be a blessing to others.”
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