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I have been to
very few Vietnamese retreats in my lifetime. In fact, I had only
participated in American retreats and rallies up until this year.
Originally from Indiana, where the Asian population was very low, I
moved to the much more populated Tulsa, Oklahoma in early August
2001. I was excited to discover that there were many Vietnamese
inhabitants in the area, which meant that not only would I be able
to actually learn more about my culture, but I would also have the
opportunity to be among a peer group that I may actually relate to
better than what I had before. So I began to take part in St.
Joseph’s - the local Vietnamese Catholic Church - Youth Group,
better known as the Humblebees. Through the Humblebees, I was able
to go to all-Vietnamese retreats for the first time. I soon
discovered that Vietnamese retreats are much different than the
American retreats.
The most recent
retreat that I participated in was originally meant for the
Confirmation candidates in the church, but I decided to go anyway
because I wanted to experience the retreat. Going to the three day
Come and See retreat was one of the best decisions that I have ever
made in my life. The planned activities were meant to make you get
in touch with your inner self. And for once, the focus was not on
the relationship between you and other peers, but rather on the
personal relationship between you and God. I came to the retreat,
and I was absolutely satisfied with what I saw.
The first
activity was a trust walk, where you were blindfolded and depended
on a guide and your senses to get you to your final destination.
This activity was a good opening to the retreat because it made us
realize how much we have to rely and trust in God whenever we are
“blind” and it also helped us to get prepared to learn more about
God’s influence in our life.
Much time
was spent on reflections, thinking about how God fits into your
life, and realizing how much he has impacted and influenced all that
you do. The multiple reflection sessions had a powerful impact
among the participants because they included real life stories that
made it easier for us to relate and connect with. Three of my
friends were group leaders and they gave us actual accounts in their
lives where they needed God and support from friends. Their stories
helped me to realize that I wasn’t alone in the situations that come
across my life and that there are always people who can help me out
and relate to me. We also listened to a few songs during the
reflections with lyrics that would make you think in a different
perspective. The popular songs that were played, such as R. Kelly
and Celine Dion’s You’re my Angel, were not just a regular songs
anymore. Now, it had a much more deeper and new meaning to it.
We had many
small group discussions during the retreat. This really helped
bring people closer together because instead of having a large group
where discussions are usually quite broad, more time was spent
talking in details. The point of the small group discussions were
to talk and relate with our peers, and to better understand and
relate to the other people. In our group discussions, we discovered
that many of us had similar stories and accounts, which helped us to
help each other out. But we also discovered that even though we all
had different lives, we all shared a common bond of going to God for
help. We all learned to listen to each other without being
judgmental, and that was definitely one of the best lessons from the
retreat.
Reconciliation was a major point in the retreat. Many of us had not
been to confession for a while and it was a sensitive subject
because the retreat had made us realize all of our sins and how much
we really needed to be forgiven. But to better prepare us for
Reconciliation, the leaders presented us with something that would
prove to be one of the most powerful points in the retreat. Our
parents had written each of us a personal letter of encouragement
and thought. Each and every letter was different and original,
meant only for a certain significant individual. While reading the
letters, you could hear quiet laughs, tearful sighs, and quiet
sniffles. Some kids do not have an open or close relationship with
their parents, so the letters definitely brought a new light on
things as they read things that made them realize just how much they
are loved and respected by their parents. After reading the
letters, we had the opportunity to write our parents back. This
gave us the chance to truly tell them how we felt, and maybe give
them the same feeling that they gave us as we read their letters.
It was one of the most genuine moments I’ve ever been through. By
the time we were done with the letters, we were ready for
Reconciliation. Honestly, Reconciliation was much different for me
this time. It was not just something I had to do and get over
with. This time, it was really a time for me to truly ask God for
forgiveness and seriously want to change my life for the better.
The retreat helped make Reconciliation a significant and important
ritual for us teens.
By the last
day of the retreat, we only had a few hours left with each other.
But the retreat was definitely really influential till the very
end. We had a service that included the washing of another’s foot.
This gave us the opportunity to tell someone that he or she meant so
much to us that we would wash their feet for them and vice versa.
We got to choose whose foot we wanted to wash, tell them why we
chose them and how they were valued, and put a WWJD bracelet on
their wrist. It was a tearful moment. I admit that I didn’t think
I was going to cry as I watched everyone else sob and get teary
eyed, but just as I approached my little brother to wash his feet,
the tears just started flooding out. It was as if I was just hit
with this huge emotion that I didn’t know I had inside of me. The
washing of the feet was definitely a highlight of the retreat.
Not only
were the activities and services a good part of the retreat, but the
free time was a part of the retreat that made it fun. Rooming with
our peers was wonderful because we got to talk and hang out with
each other. Eating and having free time with the group was nice too
because it allowed us to just be ourselves and just be normal with
each other for a while. During the free time, people were able to
just relax and talk and laugh with each other. Spending lots of
time with our friends made the retreat a worthwhile experience.
Cha Long was
the priest that was in charge of Come and See. He is from Canada
and definitely one of the most awesome priests that I have ever
met. Cha Long was easy to talk to and made us laugh and be
comfortable around each other. He was funny, easy going, and
presented us to God in ways that were incredibly influential.
Through him, we had many revelations and realizations about
ourselves and our relationship with God. He was not just a priest,
but he also became our friend. To us, cha Long is one of God’s
angels.
The Come and
See retreat was one of the best retreats that I have ever been to.
I learned so much from other people and from the different
activities. I realized the significance of God in my life. I
bonded with people that I never really talked to before and got
closer with the people that I already knew. Not only did I get
closer to the group, but I also got closer to God. The feeling that
I got at the retreat was a feeling that I hope will stay with me
forever. I definitely recommend this retreat to anyone and everyone
who wants to learn more about God and themselves. This was one of
the most awesome experiences that I have ever had and I will
remember and cherish it forever.
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