Summer 2008 Recap…..part 1

Antiokhia Paroki St. Yakobus, Kelapa Gading


For those of you who do not know Antiokhia, I’ll give some descriptions. Antiokhia is a youth catholic group range from 14-22 years old. Their main event is a summer retreat with 13 presentations and sharing are their main points. On the last night of the retreat, there will be a closing night celebration which they invited all Antiokhers in Jakarta. Currently, Antiokhia exists in 9 parishes in Jakarta.

So, you might thinking that why I choose @ Gading (to make it short) as my first part. Well, as far as I remember, this was the first group that I came first during my holiday haha not a really good reason.

I came on one of their WE Team, some kind like a “dress rehearsal” for a youth retreat at St. Yakobus parish. The expected members are about 14-20 years old. I just came for a while and listen to some of their presentations. One thing that I thought was interesting was that really only few of them prepared for their presentations. It was really hard to talk about they way they execute their presentation, since they did not even prepared for the content of their presentation. I do not really know what is the problem, is it the lack of effort they put for their presentation, or simply just because they never make a presentation? Well could be both, right?

Well, I also came to their closing night. I think it was one of the most crowded closing night celebrations ever, since @ gading are the last parish that held a retreat. When you seat, you can barely move around hahaha can’t blame the room if you get sweat all around your body. I heard that the presentations during the retreat were good and that makes me a little bit happy, especially with bad preparations just like I mention before. It was an OK celebration since I’m not totally like they way they run their event, but nevertheless everyone is quite happy…I guess.

One last event that I came was a 10th year celebration of @ Gading. I would say that, during that event I feel completely not there. I mean, that night was also the last night I would have a dinner with my parents on weekend before I went back to USA. So, I came for a while and met some old friends, especially Marcel, Bayong, Andi, Naldo. I really want to be there the whole event, but what can I say after one hour, I have to go with my parents. I thought the event was not a meaningless event. Just like on any xxth years old celebration, there will be something that really reminds you of who you are and what you have achieved, right? But the event was only about “having fun” with your friends. Not that I don’t want the event to become boring and not fun, but I think fun and meaningful could go along together.

@ Gading is a group that I think I really want to do much for them, just because the group help me so much to develop myself. I love their songs, the friendships and especially the idea of sharing your faith to one another. But, this time, I feel that my time is over and I should not exist anymore. My girlfriend said that I have to move on because @ gading will not give you anything again and besides somehow I don’t feel really connected with them, even though I think it’s just because that I’m half way around the globe.

Overall, I thought there was no significant progress in @ Gading. What I saw was members just having fun while they tend to forget what the meaning of being an Antiokhers is. What’s important for them is to have fun with their fellow friends but not doing the thing that they should do. Unfortunately, this situation was helpless with the condition of irresponsible job of KorPar (@ Parish Coordinator) whose job is to keep @ Gading to progress to become a better servant of God.

Nevertheless, I’m quite happy to be able to come and see and help them a bit.