By: Fr. Joseph Panabang, SVD

A longing Invades the Heart
You can take the Filipino out of the Philippines but not the Philippines out of the Filipino, says the cover page of Fr. Ben Carreon’s JOKE ONLY. Living outside the Philippines, we the Filipino missionaries, priest, sisters and brothers finds this truth a brutal reality. As a stranger working in a foreign country where you are the only obruni koko (foreigner) in a black community, the longing to be with co- Filipinos at times invades your heart so strongly that you cannot help from wanting it. For this reasons, once a year, in the second week of Easter, in particular, all of us Filipino priest, sisters, brothers (with Filipino lay people working here in Ghana invited) gather for a reunion that lasts usually four days. We call this reunion UMIPIG - Ugnayan ng mga Misyonerong Pinoy sa Ghana (at Toga din)

Forty Pinoys
In this Umipig, six congregations came together: The Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM), Holy Spirit Sisters (SSpS), Franciscan Missionaries (FMM), Medical Mission Sisters (MMS) and recently White Fathers (SMA). Interesting, they (more than 40 people) are coming from all over the Philippines from Aparri to Jolo. Such composition of the group makes the reunion enriching in every way and more enjoyable.

Miss World
Activities vary. In the first day we welcome each other, introduce one to the other, have common evening prayer and a Mass after which Lupang Hinirang is sung with the Philippines national flag spread in front. In the second day, we have Recollection, usually given by one of us. Silence, the guardian of recollection, is seized upon to keep us from talking too much. Within the recollection is Mission sharing the climax of all activities. Here, we share our own joy, fulfillments, works, success and failure, pains and loneliness, and what have you. In the evening there is a Grand Recollection. At times it is formal, that is, the men with their barongs (some with rubber shoes) and the women with their Maria Clara gowns (borrowed or relief pero imported naman from Germany). Dances from Pandango sa Ilaw to Maglalatik to aerobics (a biological dance) would follow. With drinks and Filipino dishes served, the reaction ends with the coronation of Miss Umipig, done in a Miss World Beauty Pageant fashion.

Tuloy ang Ligaya
Tired but full of spirit, we go for picnic on the third day, as expected, sharing continues. Pick your choice. Tuloy ang ligaya and to update ourselves and renew contact with our own culture, there is a video showing in the evening.

Sad Goodbyes
The following day, we have the evaluation and planning of the next Umipig. Then without warning, the air goes dank unceremoniously with “Oh it’s crying time again, you gonna leave me”? Which sears the heart and forces us to say goodbye but not farewell to one another.

Healing for Homesickness
For us Umipigans (participants to the Umipig), after four days of reliving the Buhay Pinoy, eating, and drinking and praying the Filipino way, talking to Mother Tongue, and working many other things Filipino, we feel very much encouraged, strengthened and healed (of homesickness, especially). The feeling that you belong to one culture, the assurance that we are Filipinos around, the reliving of our own culture and tradition in a foreign land alone, is a whirlpool of moral support and inspiration. We suddenly realize how to rich and important our own culture is. Thee, begin to appreciate and be sensitive to the richness of another culture in which we are working. In the end, we feel that in the Umipig, you are but waft back to the beauty of your roots that you can be at home without being home. Come join us.

NOTE: One Umipigan, Fr. Pablo Garay, SVD from Bayombong, Pangasinan while officiating the concluding Umipig Mass told us the during the Last Supper, Christ was about to give the New Commandments but with no reason at all found Himself tongue-tied and said “Mag-Umipigan kayo” instead of saying “mag –ibigan kayo”.