ASPAC Workshop in Bali

The SSpS Asia Pacific (ASPAC) Workshop on Women Migration and Trafficking in Person was held in SOVERDI Bali Wacana, Indonesia on September 1-20, 2008. It was a very relevant and challenging seminar-workshop with 26 participants coming from 16 Provinces/Regions. Among the participants were Felicie and Atty. Myrna Pagsuberon (from Phil.-South), Carmelita as member of the coordinating team and Evelyn Jose, SSpS (from Phil.-North). An active presence was the CLT representative, Pauline Pereira, SSpS.

This ASPAC seminar-workshop was the outflow of the meeting of ASPAC Provincials and Regional in 2006. They identified and expressed their interest to address within three years the three concerns in the ASPAC region, namely: formation, HIV/AIDS and women. For formation, the ASPAC assembly was held on September 2006 in Bangalore, India. For HIV/AIDS, in Goroka, PNG last February 2007.The current ASPAC Chair, Shalini Mathew, who delivered the opening address, gave the background and rationale for this seminar on women particularly Women Migration and Trafficking, its connectedness to the SSpS origin and history and especially to the recent chapter documents. Pauline who centered her message on migration as being part and parcel of the SSpS life as missionaries, reviewed the challenge given by the recent Gen. Chapter direction “to journey in the direction of being women who, mutually touched and formed by realities of life, especially that of the poor, join with them in a search for ways to be co-creators of a society rooted in the gospel values.”The highlights of the first week of the workshop were the two inputs, the reporting from each Province/Region and a trip to places of Art and Culture were Bali women were involved. “Called as Women to celebrate our Womanhood”was shared by Anna, PK followed by a personal sharing of her companion Sulastri, an empowered young woman and Village Leader. The input “Reality of Women in the Globalized World”(part1) was given by Mr. Dasgupta.

The participants spent the 2nd week for exposure in five separate places, experiencing a taste of “leaving one’s comfort zones” and learning from the prostituted women and migrant workers who came back from abroad. Shared reflection, analysis and relevant inputs from NGOs, an SSpS and a Religious Priest captured the exposure-experience. Pauline guided the group in the process of synthesizing the inputs, province/region reports, exposure program and other relevant reflections, audio-visual aids on “Women Migrant Workers and Trafficking in Persons” and linked to the 13th General Chapter Directions.

Having seen how important networking in responding to the problem of trafficking is, Atty. Myrna was asked to share her experience of WINGS.
To prepare for the plan of action scheduled for the last days, there were country-group discussions and sharing. The last days were used for discussion, sharing and action-plan on three levels: Province/country, ASPAC level and Congregational level. After all the plans were presented, Carmelita, who facilitated the sharing of expectations at the start of the workshop, led the group to an evaluation of the whole workshop. In general the expectations were realized. To wrap up the whole workshop, Pauline invited the participants to a meaningful reflection and review of the 3-week journey, recognizing the value of each one’s/each Province’/Region’s participation, identifying significant moments of grace and insight and the joy experienced by all in the common search for a relevant response to the urgent call of the Spirit to be on the side of the poor and suffering women and girls especially in ASPAC zone.

(By Felicie Arcaya, SSpS)