Peace be with you
We were filled with apprehension before our workshop with Ustadz and Imams from Maguindanao. We were in the company of respected Muslim teachers and worship leaders. How will they warm up working with a Jesuit priest, Fr. Eric Velandria; a woman-Governor from Bulacan, Governor Josie? And, how will they accept a woman-leader with irreverent jokes and a habit of holding the hands of participants? Fortunately, our fears were unfounded. They were welcoming, cooperative and eager to be our partners.
Very little is known about madaris schools. They are run by private individuals and organizations to provide children and Muslim youth with Islamic education. Some madaris provide weekend education, i.e. from Friday to Sunday, where children learn Arabic, Islamic values, and are taught to read the Qur’an. There are madaris that offer kindergarten to grade 8, and, classes are held for the whole week , from Sundays to Thursdays. They operate like regular schools and children learn Science, Mathematics, Geography, and other academic subjects, in addition to Arabic and an Islamic education. Children can opt to stay in Toril, which is similar to a boarding school but focuses on learning the Qur’an. The madaris subsist mostly from contributions and donations from parents and friends, called sadaqah. Our objective was to work with their local governments to establish partnerships and help them develop better pedagogy.
Our workshop with the Imams turned out to be a learning opportunity. It was an experience for appreciating diversity, accepting differences, and valuing encounters and dialogues. We ended up laughing most of the time, mostly because of our ignorance. They found it difficult to draw their family tree, not just because they were unfamiliar with the terms “Lolo” and “Tatay”. We forgot that Muslims can have more than one family. One Imam scratched his head in his effort to draw his complete family tree.
We had great fun in playing the Human Bingo. They were like children seeking out colleagues who are shy, who disliked eating vegetables, and whose hobby it is to read. Fr. Eric found no trouble in asking the Ustad who identified himself as a good singer to sing in front of the participants. He was followed by another Ustad who displayed his dancing skills. He completely brought the house down and enabled us to rid of our inhibitions. Then, the discussion on finding peace through regular dialogues, accepting our differences, developing tolerance, and working on what binds us together, flowed like water. They discussed how prejudices, lack of trust, and reluctance to listen to and accept different points of view result to conflicts and war. We formed a common vision of helping raise children to become responsible, peaceful and productive citizens.
We had a bit of difficulty when we started discussing love for the country. For some of them, country meant the Bangsa Moro. An Imam said that since I am in Mindanao, I am a Bangsa Moro citizen. Another said that the entire archipelago would have been Bangsa Moro sans the conquest of the Spaniards. I reminded them of our agreement on acceptance and that they should appreciate how I call myself a “Filipino”. We agreed to learn love of country from the eyes of Dr. Rizal. We were all at peace when we read his poem “A Tribute to my Town”. We felt a strong bond of unity as we read how the hero saw the Creator in the grandeur of nature. They are Muslims and we are Christians, but we all believe in a loving Creator who will guide us to live together in peace despite our differences.
mguevara@synergeia.org.ph