Burnout! …and COVID
By MARY S. JANE ALIPAN
I AM a professional teacher, employed at the Creative Education for Life Learning, a school offering mainstreaming support or what’s called Special Needs Inclusion Program.
“Inclusion” means accepting and placing students with different abilities, if not disabilities, in regular education classrooms. It’s great serving such children who without this kind of school, would have difficulty living among people in “normal” settings.
The school is located at Bahayang Pag-asa in Bacoor, Cavite – which was one reason that I hesitated committing to attend The Feast.
Let me backtrack a bit how in the first place I got to be in the Light of Jesus Family. A co-worker, Cecille Perez-Nadal (here with me, extreme right), invited me to attend the LOJ Sunday faith gathering.
“The Feast,” she gushed.
This was Holy Week in 2018 and LOJ was holding a Lenten Recollection culminating in the Sunday Grand Easter Feast.
At the time, everybody was gone for the week-long Lent break, I was alone in the house, nothing else to do, so I told myself, “Why not give this Feast a try?”
I attended the Grand Easter Feast held at the Mall of Asia Arena at the Manila Bay area.
Everything was new to me—ushers warmly welcoming me, people fervently praising God during the Worship session, and the talk that tugged at my heartstrings. Somehow, I felt this longing to be accepted, and I was sure this was where I should belong.
But, as I said, I work in Cavite. And I live with my family in Pasay City. I stay in Cavite during the weekdays and on weekends, I go home to be with my family in Pasay. I didn’t want to miss this time with my family once a week and so, I could not commit to attend The Feast on Sundays.
There came a time, however, that I decided to go back to The Feast.
In mid-2019, I suffered work burnout. I needed relief from my stress, go somewhere, talk to someone. And so, I remembered The Feast. I got in touch with Cecile and happily, she tagged me along to The Feast session being held at the Philippine International Convention Center (Feast PICC A.M.).
This time, Cecile, I guess not wanting to let go of me anymore, promptly invited me to join her in the ministry where she serves, the Awesome Kids Ministry (AWK). This is like a mini-Feast for children, taking care of them while their parents attended The Feast and, through a creative program, explaining to the kids the talk of the day.
Here I am (back row, extreme left) with co-members of the Awesome Kids Ministry, with our Ministry head, Sis. Rita Yokingco (front row, extreme right).
I enjoyed, really got impressed, as I watched the Ministry servants sing and
dance, complete with wacky gestures, just to make God’s message pierce through
the mind and heart of each child.
And I was like, “This is what I want to do.”
So, I stepped forward and committed to serve in the Awesome Kids Ministry.
Also, Cecile said, “You’re single…” and without losing a split second, she also signed me up to be a member of the Singles Ministry.
That’s me (2nd from right) with co-members of my caring Singles Light (small) Group.
Two ministries in just one day!
That was fast but it felt so right.
I joined LOJ and The Feast on June 6, 2019. Little did I know, it must had been God’s Design, preparing me for the crisis we would all face in 2020—the
Coronavirus Disease Pandemic.
Alas, I was caught in the Community Quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID. I spent the lockdown in Cavite because I needed to stay there for my work.
The first few months were challenging, to say the least. I was away from my family. I got home sick.
Also, Quarantine protocols prevented live classes in school so, we were told we would have to hold classes online. I doubted my capability as a teacher— struggling through the upcoming online classes modalities. I felt I would not meet the world’s expectations.
But yes, God well prepared me for this. Amid those challenges, my Singles Ministry family has been helping me cope. They are the ones who really listen to me. They have reminded me that everything that happens is part of the plan of God, and He will lead me through it all.
Aside from my faith journey at The Feast, I found ways to take my mind off my burdens.
One, I resumed old hobbies– writing poems and painting.
Two, I developed a new one—I learned to play piano and ukulele. They all keep me sane.
Gradually, I am beginning to feel better. By God’s grace, I’ve realized I am in this situation so that I may grow –in handling my emotions, in deepening my faith. God is with me, making me brave, making me strong. So that I can understand His Will for me, and simply trust Him.
This Pandemic may have turned my life upside down. But by God’s grace, with help from my friends and The Feast support system, I have been able to pull myself together and get on with life and my ministries.
