Sharing: Nine Days in Macau

As my sharing “Twelve Days in Ho Man Tin” ( http://anastasialindawatimm.blogspot.com/2010/05/sharing-twelve-days-in-ho-man-tin.html), I went to Macau ferry terminal by bus from our King’s Park convent on Apr 30, 2010. I inserted my Hong Kong Identity card and then placed my thumb nail to Hong Kong immigration machine without showing my pasport. Sr. Annie met me at Macau ferry terminal and then went to our Macau’s convent at Iao Hon by bus. Then, my sisters and I attended the opening of posthumous exhibition of works by Wu Cho-bun, who specialised in painting animals in particular tigers, at Macau Museum of Art (http://www.artmuseum.gov.mo/mamintro_e.asp).
We attended the Mass of the 11th Anniversary of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church (http://www.olamacauguide.com/stjosephchurch.html) on May 1 in English, Mandarin and Cantonese which was celebrated by Bishop José Lai Hung-Seng and more than 10 priests. There were more than 10 altar boys and girls. I was moved when 4 deaf persons prayed Our Father in sign language in front of the altar. The celebration continued with dinner, dances and games at parish hall.
Sr. Annie and I went to Fatima Elderly Center the next day as she would measure the blood pressure and body temperature of whoever is coming. Then we attended Cantonese Sunday mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church (http://www.olamacauguide.com/fatimachurch.html). We went to Three Lamps (=Sam Jan Dang) as we wanted to buy Indonesian ingredients for cooking. We bought the Indonesian ingredients at a Thailand store. I got the direction to the store from the Indonesians in the street. Umi and her friend, both Indonesian women, told me that we could buy Indonesian meal at her friend’s apartment nearby. Then Sr. Sue joined us to have “nasi pecel” (=Indonesian peanut sauce salad) and “soto ayam” (=chicken yellow soup) in their 2 bedrooms apartment. I prepared “nasi pecel”, “soto ayam” and “krupuk udang” (=shrimp cracker) for dinner.
I attended the Cantonese mass at St. Francis Xavier Church on May 3. Sr. Arlene, Sr. Sue and I went to OCSO Monastery in Penha Hill also known as Bishop Hill. There are three sisters of OCSO Gedono-Indonesia: Sr. Gabriela (I heard about her and her sister as both of them are in OCSO Gedono and from my home town Jombang), Sr. Paula and Sr. Caterina. I had spiritual direction with Sr. Caterina during my come and see in OCSO Gedono in 2006. They are in the process of getting the approval to build their monastery in Coloane Island.
I attended the Cantonese mass at St. Joseph Church the next day. Sr. Arlene and I went to Kun Iam Temple, and then went to Senado Square by bus and walked to St. Dominic Church, Treasure of Sacred Art Museum of St. Dominic Church, the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Mount Fortress. There are so many stores of barbequed meat and almond cookies which are the famous snacks of Macau along the way to the Ruins of St. Paul’s. We had lunch at a Macanese restaurant and then went to City of Dreams at Cotai by their free bus from Macau. We watched a 10-minutes visual show “Dragon’s Treasure” at a dome-shaped theatre “The Buble.” We crossed the street to see the gondola ride at the Venetian.
I went to St. Joseph School to attend the two English classes of Sr. Sue after attending the Cantonese mass at St. Francis Xavier Church on May 5. I introduced myself and had a short conversation with them. I went to A-Ma Festival alone to see the Chinese Opera in a specially constructed bamboo shed. As I can’t speak Cantonese, the organizer allowed me to sit in for 10 minutes without asking me to buy the ticket.
I attended the Cantonese mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church the next day then went to St. Theresa School to attend the three English classes of Sr. Sue. I also attended two English classes of Sr. Arlene and had conversation with them. One of the women at Fatima Elderly Center taught me in Cantonese how to play bingo in the afternoon. When Sr. Annie should make a phone call, I replaced her to pick up the number, showed it to them and one of the elderly women said the number loudly. As there was only one (cake) prize of the first batches left, “my teacher” place it in front of me but then I placed it back quietly as I placed the second batch of the prizes. At the end of the games, she gave one of her prizes and Sr. Annie’s to me as she knew that I didn’t get any prizes. I purposely didn’t pick up my prizes. I went to St. Joseph Church in the evening to attend the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) by Sr. Sue and Fr. Manuel, MCCJ but it was cancelled as there was only one participant.
After attending the Cantonese mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Sr. Annie, Sr. Helen, Fr. Jose, SVD and I had breakfast at Sr. Helen’s office on May 7. I helped Sr. Annie to measure the body temperature of the elderly at Fatima Elderly Center as she measured their blood pressure. One of the elderly women talked to me in Cantonese for a while even though I only could smile at her. I joined around 80 elderly of Fatima Elderly Center to visit Macao Science Museum and then we had a free lunch from a vegetarian restaurant. Sr. Annie and I went to an elderly home Asilo Santa Maria as she would cut their toe nails including fungus toe nails. Sr. Annie asked if I wanted to give a feet-massage by wearing gloves after she cut the toe nails. I did it. I went to English class of Sr. Sue at Pastoral Center but the staff didn’t allow me to sit in as they didn’t really understand what I said in English and Sr. Sue already started the class.
I attended the Cantonese mass at St. Joseph Church the next day. Sr. Annie cut the toe nails and gave a few minutes feet-massage to an elderly woman and then measured the blood pressure of several elderly in one of their home. After that, we went to Caritas rice distribution site as Sr. Annie would measure the blood pressure. I wrote their blood pressure in a piece of paper and gave it to them. There were around 65 persons from 10.30 – 1.00 p.m. We went to an elderly home Santa Madalena as Sr. Annie would cut their toe nails and I would give a few minutes feet-massage. I met Sr. Julita, FDCC from Flores Indonesia.
Every mother who attended the Cantonese mass at St. Joseph Church received a floral bracelet for the Mother’s day. A boy gave a dark pink one to me, as he didn’t know I am a sister, but one of the women say it’s ok so I exchanged it with the light pink one. I was moved when looking at the deaf people in the sign language during the mass. I couldn’t hold my tears when the choir sang a Cantonese dedication song for all the mothers who were asked to stand up and wear the bracelet.
I went with Srs. Anne, Arlene and Sue to Macau ferry terminal as we would have our Sunday retreat at Maryknoll Fathers Stanley-Hong Kong and then I would go home to Boundary Street Convent. I couldn’t hold my tears again when I answered to Sr. Sue about my Macau trip that I couldn’t hold my tears when I heard the dedication song for the mothers.
When I went out with my (western) sisters, sometimes people would talk to me while looked at me so I only could smile and of course my sisters would answer them.
Thank you very much for all of your warm welcome, hospitality, cards, gifts, and especially your prayers during my stay in Macau. May God continue to bless you in your missionary journey.

Kowloon Tong-Hong Kong, May 10, 2010


Sr. Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.
Let’s do simple things with simple love to make God’s love visible