Revisiting the Transformation Experience via the Virtual Space!

As an alumnus of the Young in the Worldwide Church Program, it is quite sad to know that the COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed and worst, halted the holding of such a noble activity among youth leaders across the world. The pandemic has robbed young people, from various churches, the opportunity to experience a life-changing program held in Sweden and in various countries namely: Philippines, Costa Rica, South Africa, Brazil, and Tanzania. They are deprived of the opportunity to meet people in their host countries and at the same time, experience their day-to-day life and know of their struggles. More, the temporary halt of the program would mean a missed opportunity for people from the various countries to meet and engage and give way to an open conversation. But what makes me miss more Sweden and the exchange experience? “Fika” and our fun engagements and discussions during break time. How I wish we could have virtual “Fika” soon in our next sessions. But nothing can of course replace the real experience of “Fika.”

On the other hand, my exchange experience in Sweden, 7 years ago, gave me fresh new eyes in looking deeper into the church and society of both the Philippines and Sweden. On that beautiful springtime, realizations bloomed one after the other, about the church’s essential role in the society as a platform of change. And more than the worship services, reflections, Scripture texts, sermons, and hymns, there is a greater need to transform into action our faith, for the betterment of people and the society.

Aside from that, the exchange experience has granted me the sense of belongingness to the worldwide church or simply, the borderless church, where doctrinal and traditional differences do not cause a divide but rather the common faith in God is there to serve as a solid bond of unity.

Lastly, I was able to obtain a thorough understanding of Christianity and its varied contexts across the globe. Normally, the faith context varies on the culture where it is being nurtured and Sweden is never an exception to such principle. Through the said experience, I have learned to leave one’s prejudice and cultural background when being sent to another country where Christianity is practiced. That on the journey, one must not judge the context and its flaws. But rather, it is best to follow Christ’s example of learning and engaging with various people from different backgrounds. It cannot be denied that through dialogues and exchange of ideas and thoughts, one will be able to understand and learn deeper on the context.

At the end of the day, we may differ in faith expression or for some, in belief systems, but one must bear in mind that it is service to humanity that causes us all to unite our efforts towards building a more just and peaceful future for the coming generations.

Furthermore, last year as we were all faced with difficulties due to the pandemic, former Filipino participants organized daily prayers for healing. This did not only involve former participants but also friends and those we met in Sweden during our stay there via Facebook messenger. The daily prayers were filled with inspiring conversations, Bible readings, hymns mostly from Sweden and some worldwide church songs. And of course, the lighting of a candle was the most important part of our virtual prayers. In fact, I grew more love for lighting candles during liturgies because of my exchange experience in Sweden having seen the practice in the conduct of public worship, in the numerous candles lighted inside the church and within the homes of the Swedes.

At the start of this year’s program launched via ZOOM Communication, I was glad to know from our present supervisors that our virtual prayer meetings held last year sparked the beginning of the so-called “Digital Exchange.” Personally, I am thankful to Maria and Åsali, our exchange supervisors from the Church of Sweden, and to their IFI counterpart, Fr. Ramil and Fr. Chris, for the opportunity to take part in the very first Digital Exchange. Receiving the letter once again, after 7 years, brought feelings of nostalgia as an alumnus of this very noble program among churches.

As I entered the ZOOM room, I felt very excited to experience the exchange once again, though in the virtual platform. Minus the plane rides and transfer of airports, I could imagine myself alighting from the car that fetched us from Stockholm Arlanda Airport and thus, arriving at Sigtuna Folkhögskola – the basecamp of the Young in the Worldwide Church Program. Entering the ZOOM room would mean a beginning of a journey for me and for my fellow former participants, aimed at reliving the exchange experience and as well as, check on our individual lives and pursuits after the said program. The open conversations with fellow former participants centered on what we are currently doing and engaged with, especially this pandemic era. And the joy shared among groups within our breakout sessions brought me back to how fun was the encounter among fellow youth from various countries.

Life After the Exchange Program

Awakening. The word that could best describe the first time I hear of the question that we were to share with fellow former participants via the ZOOM breakout rooms. The question was simply, “What have you been doing during this pandemic?” Yes. The question was indeed awakening. My answer, I was able to go on with my life. Like this digital exchange, my current job at Silliman University currently involves social media and promotions, makes use of the virtual space via Facebook, YouTube and ZOOM communications.

How was life after the exchange? It was normal. I went back to my normal life as a worker at Silliman University and in 2017, I jumped to another institution where I worked as content manager and at the same time, Information Officer-designate. Yes. Everything was normal and ordinary. In church, I went back to my task in church music and liturgy but with an enhanced thought and worldview on issues that affect the people’s lives. My volunteer work in church was enhanced even more with the experience of how the challenged Church of Sweden would handle, creatively, young people through recreational and spiritual activities combined.  

My passion for congregational singing was fired-up during my stay in Sweden. I have learned to empower the congregation of my home parish to sing the hymns and declare their faith through songs in the liturgy. I also saw the importance of a cantor in a worshipping congregation’s liturgical life. These influences enhanced the worship life of my home parish for years now.

Meanwhile, one of the primary goals of the exchange was to develop that sense of ecumenism in every participant. The exchange experience opened my senses to the possibility of people from different Christian traditions to engage in meaningful and beautiful worships, liturgies, and moments of reflections that would further enhance the spiritual life of young people in our own communities.

Becoming an ecumenical youth leader came like a surprise when a pastor from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (Iglesia Filipina Independiente’s partner church), approached one of my fellow youth leaders and gave the encouragement and inspiration to connect with their church’s youth leadership. This was the beginning of the eventful and meaningful engagements among ecumenical youth in my home city. Then, there came two ecumenical youth camps (the first of its kind in our community) held in Silliman and three holdings of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year, the Week of Prayer also went virtual due to pandemic restrictions. Not only the UCCP but also the young people and the seminarians from the Roman Catholic Church and its Focolare Movement also came into the circle to form a larger network. Seeing how the local ecumenism has flourished, I could not help but feel grateful for the exchange experience in Sweden as it has nurtured in me that sense of ecumenism and appreciate the beauty of varied traditions coming together.

During the exchange, I made a pledge that after the activity, with God’s help, I will continue to inspire young people to serve in church especially in the ministry of music. This ministry among young children from underprivileged families, living along coastal settlements, began in 2013 as I came back from my short escape in Davao after my college graduation. Upon arriving at my home parish, the former youth choir has been disbanded and most of the members have graduated from college and are now working elsewhere. There was a need to nurture a new group. And God gave me the opportunity to transform the students enrolled in the Vacation Church School into a (children’s turned youth and now, almost adult) choir in a span of 8 years. The choir group, Holy Trinity Voices (after the Holy Trinity as the group first sung on the Feast of the Holy Trinity in May of 2013), is the only organized choir with formal voice assignments in my whole dioceses. The repertoire varies from Filipino, Asian, Western and some Swedish hymns which I learned, and some of which were also translated to Filipino (Philippine national language) and Cebuano (my native dialect).

Lastly, one of the most unforgettable post-exchange engagements I always am privileged to do is when I am designated as local exchange supervisor. By the way, my parish was able to host two batches namely in 2016 with Klara and Emma and in 2018 with Elsa and Alva. I always am excited at plotting their daily activities and encounters with the townsfolks. They have been a witness to how I handle the congregation in song and in my passion to develop young liturgical singers. They have enjoyed singing Swedish hymns during our parish liturgical activities and in their participation to our worship life especially in the song or choir ministry. When I host Swedish participants in my home parish, I always see to it that they would feel at home. Sometimes, I would ask them to sing with my choir some Swedish songs and hymns. One enriching experience I could not forget is when I asked the two Swedish participants to sing the Swedish texts of “Kaylaking Hiwaga” (What A Great Mystery) – Francisco Feliciano’s hymn translated as “Vilket Stort Mysterium” in Swedish. This was simultaneous with the congregation singing the original text in Filipino. Sung during communion, the creative manner of singing the hymn in various languages reminds us of our unity in the Body of Christ despite our differences in our expressions, cultures, and contexts. We are indeed one in Christ.

These are just some windows of reflection to the life I have lived after the exchange. The exchange, according to Anne Falk, our supervisor, should not make us think we are better than others. But more, it should teach us to be humble and thus, be of service to better our community and the lives of those who are deprived even with the most of basic human dignity. The life after the exchange was like Jesus going down from the majestic Mt. Tabor after his glorious Transfiguration experience. During the exchange, we may feel overwhelmed with the privilege afforded to us, to travel to the other side of the world and to live under another culture and society totally different from our own. We must never forget that the Transfiguration event was not permanent. Jesus had to go downhill and be among the serve whom he is called to serve especially the least, the last and the lost.

The exchange experience must not separate us from the realities of the world or rather drive us away from the church where we were first called. The exchange experience must serve as new lenses when looking at issues of today especially now as we are confronted by this pandemic. Our earned ideas and reflections must contribute to a better, beautiful, and just future for all to partake. Our exchange experience must compel us even more to be passionate about service to the church and to the people who need God the most.

It is my utmost prayer that we may be able to “use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around.”

As I end my sharing, I am leaving you with a hymn “The Summons” by John Bell and Graham Maule of the Iona Community for our reflection on where the exchange has indeed led us. God be with us!

About the Participant

Klein Fausto Emperado serves in the parish, diocese and in the national level as church musician, choir trainer, composer, creative liturgy writer, local exchange supervisor, and promotions specialist. He is an alumnus of the Young in the Worldwide Church Program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Silliman University College of Mass Communication in 2011 and took subjects on liturgy and church music from the Silliman University Divinity School under the Master of Divinity program.

He holds various positions and memberships in the following organizations, committees, and commissions:

• Executive Vice President, Diocesan Youth Executive Council, Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente – Diocese of Negros Oriental and Siquijor (YIFI – DINOS)
• Chair, Local Youth Executive Assembly – Kabatan-onang Ekyumenikal sa Isla Negros ug Siquijor (LEYA-KEINUS)
• Member, National Youth Executive Council Secretariat – Committee on Liturgy, Music and Cultural Works 
• Appointed Member, IFI’s National Commission on Liturgy and Music

Currently, he is employed as Special Project Staff for the Silliman University Divinity School Centennial Celebration 2021.