Sisters

"what a beautiful sunset!"
"that dress is beautiful!!!"

"We often find ourselves expressing words we do not fully understand. One expression that I have come close to full realization of, is the word, "beautiful". For me, beautiful had been merely qualities of a person or a thing that relied solely on the visual aspects.

Just recently, I have realized that it is MUCH more than that. It is hilarious how God works in our lives, and I found my revelation in the most unexpected place: Downtown Eastside.

This summer of '09, I started doing Agape Street Ministry. For those who don't know, it's a ministry that reaches out to the women of the streets. The ministry does an "Agape Walk" where the volunteers hand out goodie bags to the women. Not only the candies increase their glucose level for medical purposes, but it also acts as icebreakers for the ministry to interact with them. We may pray over them, take prayer requests or simply greet them.

An interesting fact about this ministry is that male volunteers are on the walk only as protection. Brothers are encouraged to lay low and serve as security acts. The reason being that it is the men who have abused these women and they are more likely to open up to sisters more for obvious reasons. Before my first walk, Andre told me that this ministry was "beautiful".

My first few walks consisted of a very few people. Reaching out to roughly about 150 women in two short hours was not a easy job. On my first few walks, there were many times where I had to step in to give out the goodies and be part of the interactions because the extra hands were needed. Surely, I have volunteered for the Soup Kitchen and have done this kind of work before. This, Agape, wasn't any different from those experiences where I had to reach out to the poor. For this reason, I did not fully understand the beauty that Andre was talking about.

Over the time, more people started coming out to the walks, (this one time, we had 15, thanks to the exert. haha) thus I had pleasure of staying back and fulfill my intended roles as a brother. It was then, my eyes started to open to the "beautiful" thing that Andre so often talked about. The thing that is so precious. The thing that is ever so elegant. That thing that is BeautifuL: our sisters radiating the love and mercy of Christ.

In YFC, we define the roles of brothers and sisters. For brothers, we are the pastors. protectors and providers. For those reasons, we are the ones that lead worships. We are the ones that lead ways. We are the ones that lead the sisters at all times.

The Agape Ministry provided opportunities for the sisters to take charge. For sisters to pastor. For the sisters to lead the way. For me, it had been such a blessing to see how the sisters took the initiative to spread the love of God.

When the sisters walked ahead of me and lead the way deeper into the Hastings, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters carried those heavy bags without any tiredness nor grudges, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters greeted the women so whole-heartedly, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters offered and gave out the treats, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters asked how their day was, how their children were, how their family was, tthat was so beautiful.
When the sisters couldn`t wait to approach the next woman, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters put rosary around that woman's neck,that was so beautiful.
When the sisters prayed over that woman who lost her mother, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters comforted and assured them that God loves them, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters comforted those who wept, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters hugged them without signs of disgust but smile, that was so beautiful.
When the sisters filled that place of sadness, sorrow, evil and darkness with their genuine love, care and comfort...

that was so beautiful.



In this changing world, we often hear about our Catholic Church being sexist, such as "why can't women be priests" remarks. I believe that our God, God of details, so intricately designed His men and women to have unique roles and responsibilities.

What sisters cannot do, brothers will accomplish. Not because the sisters are not capable of doing those things, but rather God has plans that he specifically called sisters to do. Likewise, sisters will spread the light of our God where brothers cannot go.

God made us, brothers, to be strong. Firm and unshaken to Provide, Pastor and Protect.
God made sisters, to be beautiful. Gentle and tender to Care, Comfort and Cherish.
(haha we always had our 3 P`s. You guys have 3 C`s now.)

In closing, I would like to use this opportunity to thank and honor all the sisters that have shown me the beauty. True meaning of beauty. Through your selfless acts of services in kindness and love, I was able to open my things to the things unseen.

Dear my amazingly beautiful sisters,

Thank you for showing me how beautiful you all really are."

-Peter Byun



Amen.