The Gleaners

Written by Sr. Leaticia - Taiwan Province
Art by Jean François Millet, 1857

My presentation is about the painting, “The Gleaners”. This picture was painted by Jean-Francois Millet in 1857. He was born in Normandy, France, the son of a farm laborer. Millet painted many pictures depicting the “grim reality of French peasants toiling” on the land.

When I saw the picture, I felt something very familiar because I am the daughter of a farmer and I have worked as a gleaner. This picture helped me remember my hometown and my childhood.

There is a broad field in my hometown. People plant corn and wheat. The middle of September is the harvest time for wheat. People use sickles to reap the wheat and bind it into bundles. They put the bundles together like hills (look at the picture).

In this picture, people use carriages to carry the shears, but in my hometown, I remember people using tractors. They are faster than carriages. At that tim, everyone had big smiles on their faces; they were working and singing at the same time. Gladness filled the whole town because wheat was the most important grain in our lives.

During my youth, my younger brother and me worked as gleaners. At first, we didn't like this work. It was too hot and tiring, but my mother had a good idea. She told us that if we worked as gleaners, she would give us money or we could use the wheat-head that we picked and exchange it for fruit. At that time, some people sold fruit on the street in my hometown – watermelons and other melons. I like these fruits very much and to eat these melons on a hot day, was very cool.

My brother and I worked hard to pick the wheat-head. Then, we took it to my mother; she weighed it on a scale and gave us reasonable money. We were very happy and successful at it. The next day, we worked harder. We used our money to buy fruit and shared it with my family. My parents were very proud of us; they often praised us to our neighbors. Although we were tired and sweaty, we were very happy. I was the happiest when I ate watermelon with my family.

So now, I have grown up I don’t have the chance to work as a gleaner anymore, but I will remember the pleasing memory forever.

Haiku

Written by Sr. Leaticia - Taiwan Province

Small and lonely heart
like a drop of the ocean
falling in God's love

happy stars bright sky
gentle breeze blows from the tree
heart thankful and peace

A Letter to Belém Province

Written by Sr. Dulcis - Taiwan Province

Hello cute sisters in Belém!
I’m very happy to hear about you from our teacher Jennifer. Also, I was glad to see your pictures; they made me happy and miss you so much. Jennifer told me that I have a “Brazilian heart”, full of joy and passion. I agree with her. You are always deep in my heart.

I am learning English and also learning stories about your English experience. I am very happy. Jennifer is a great teacher; I like her very much. By the way, your hometown and communities are so beautiful. I saw some pictures. Ok! I have to go for the class.

Bye-Bye. Warmest regards.
I wish you luck!
With love and prayer, Sr. Dulcis

Haiku

Sr. Felicitas - Taiwan Province

The ocean and sea
nevr mind where you should be
wild heart you teach me

happy or sadness
it is between you a choice
which one will you choose

when you grasp tightly
you will lose it easily
let it go quickly

the time keeps going
history never ceasing
God everlasting

Limerick Poetry

Sr. Anita - Taiwan Province

There once as a smart, fat, gray rat
Who sat on a trap near a black cat
They varied from side to side
With the cat’s leg inside
And a fire burned from the face of the cat

Haiku

Sr. Anita - Taiwan Province

Your infinite love
Incarnation of Jesus
Renew the whole world

Limerick Poetry

Sr. Elizabeth - Taiwan Province

There once as a maid near a lake,
whose naked feet were bit by a snake.

The maid was so scared and tried
her trouble be spared
Then she decided to bake a cake with the snake

Limerick Poetry

Sr. Francisca - Manila, Philippines

There once was a lovely woman named May
Who rode an old bicycle her own way.

She returned from the state.
spent her money for a date

during the wonderful hot month of May.

Haiku

Sr. Felicitas – Taiwan Province

Simple, easy, clean and pure
makes you holy and sacred
not easy to take.

Beautiful beginning
with ambitions and hard-work
will bring good ending

Limerick Poetry

Sr. Dilecta – Taiwan Province

I have never stopped dreaming I could fly
like the birds hovering freely in the sky

Once I became a talkative magpie,
but what I said was just a lie
I woke up feeling ashamed under the unclouded sky

I Know a Man

Sr. Agnes – Taiwan Province

I know a man. His name is Jesus.
His holy heart is beautiful, better than everybody’s.
His heart is full of love’s fire.
He always accepts everybody and feels pity for the poor.
One day, his heart was hurt because of love.
Although his heart was hurt, he still loves forever.
For me, this is a very beautiful heart – pure love.

WORDS OF WISDOM

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
-- Mother Teresa

"Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of faith to see what we believe."
-- St. Augustine

"People will often forget what you say. People will often forget what you do. But people will never forget how you make them feel."
-- Author Unknown

Dreams & Grasshopper Wings

Sr. Dilecta - Taiwan Province


There are many grasshoppers during autumn. Have you ever seen them sold in markets? I bet your answer must be "no", but I was a seller of grasshoppers' wings to make my dreams come true.

I grew up in the countryside in China. We had many fields. My parents grew wheat, corn, soybeans and peanuts. During the harvest season, I used to catch grasshoppers. My father would clean and fry them; they tasted good! But my mother would just throw them to the hens. One day when I was helping my father to clean the grasshoppers, I found something very beautiful. It was the grasshoppers' wings! They had colorful wings. Each pair was different from the other. I fell in love with them. From that moment on, I carefully set all the wings I collected in a book. At that time, my dream was to be a painter, but my parents didn't want me to become a painter. I had to work in my own way.

One day, I took out some wings and put them on a stone table beside our gate. After setting a "for sale" sign, I sat at the table waiting for buyers. It was not long after, the children around that area were coming and selecting the wings they liked. I sold them -- one pair of wings for one piece of paper. After 30 minutes, they were all sold out.

Sticking the papers together, I proudly began to draw pictures. From then on, I have had a belief that your dream will come true only if you start to dream.

HAIKU

Sr. Felicitas - Taiwan Province

In my heart of hearts
Jesus' love wakes me up from death
Joy fills in my life

Pouring rain falls again
Upset and darkness give me pain
A glimmer of hope soon

Oh! Diary, diary
You are footprints everyday
Wisdom comes from they

A Dream

Sr. Leticia, Taiwan Province

Because a call came, "Follow me!"
I resolutely left my hometown.
I had my family's blessing,
A dream of a beautiful paradise.

Time elapsed; spring passed and fall came again.

God's grace acompanies me in a strange place.
Although I undergo suffering of homesickness everyday,
gratitude is abundant.
Joy, pain, sorrow and happiness all melt in God's love.
I believe my dream will come true.

Van Gogh

JANUARY READING

Vincent Van Gogh was not always an artist. In fact, he wanted to be a church pastor and was even sent to the Belgian mining community of Borinage in 1879.

He discovered that the miners there endured deplorable working conditions and poverty-level wages. Their families were mal-nourished and struggled simply to survive. He felt concerned that the small stipend he received from the church allowed him a moderate life-style, which, in contrast, seemed to him unfair.

One cold February evening, while he watched the miners trudging home, he spotted an old man staggering toward him across the fields, wrapped in a burlap sack for warmth. Van Gogh laid his own clothing out on the bed, set aside enough for one change, and decided to give the rest away. He gave the old man a suit of clothes and he gave his overcoat to a pregnant woman whose husband had been killed in a cave-in. He lived on starvation rations and spent his stipend on food for the miners.

When children in one family contracted typhoid fever, though feverish himself, he packed up his bed and took it to them.

A prosperous family in the community offered him free room and board. Van Gogh declined the offer, stating that it was the final temptation he must reject if he was to faithfully serve his community of poor miners. He believed that if he wanted them to trust him, he must become one of them. And if they were to learn of the love of God through him, he must love them enough to share with them.

He was acutely aware of the wide chasm between words and actions. He knew that our lives always speak louder and clearer than our words. Maybe that is why Francis of Assisi often said to his monks, "Wherever you go, preach. Use words if necessary." Others are "listening" carefully to your actions. What are you saying to them?

Author Unknown

The Wise King

Sr. Francisca - Taiwan Province

Long long ago, there was a wise king; he found he was getting old, so he wanted his son to succeed him. But he hoped his son would be a good and wise king like himself. What could he do? He asked a wise man in his country, the man advised him to send his son to the woods for one year, and then asked the son what he heard. So, the king did it.

One year passed; the son went back to his father. The father asked, “My son, what did you hear?” The son answered, “Father, I heard nothing.” The father said, “Go back, my son, and listen carefully, then tell me what you hear.” Then the son went back to the woods. Time flew! When the second year was finished, the son went back to his father, but he still had heard nothing. So, the third time, he was sent by his father to the woods. When the year passed, he went back to his father. The father asked him, “My beloved, what did you hear? The son answered, “Father, I heard the laughter of the river, the songs of the birds. The words of the flowers, the breath of the wind. The father was so happy when he heard his son’s answer. He knew the son was ready to be a good king, because when he could hear the voice of nature, he could hear the voice of his people.

After I read this story, immediately a Chinese word came into my mind. That is “listen 聽,” this word has six parts, one is “ears耳,” one is “king王,” one is “ten十,” one is “eyes目,” one is “one, whole 一,” one is “heart心.” This word told us, when we listen, not only with our ears, but also our eyes; when we listen, not only with our eyes, but also with our heart. If we listen with our eyes, ears, and with our whole heart, we will be the “king”, means we will be perfect listeners. If we listen with our eyes, ears, and whole heart, we could listen to something beyond the meaning of the words.

A Cry for Help

DECEMBER READING 2

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, and all of the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No I can't..There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place for you here."

Love decided to ask Vanity, who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness let me go with you." "Oh...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name.

When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Love, realizing how much he owed the elder, asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who helped me?"

"It was Time", Knowledge answered.

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Author: Unknown