Blog #13

What is so important in your life that, like Paul, you would "travel" 10,000 miles to fight for it or to proclaim it?

I would "travel" 10,000 miles to help people in poverty because I want to help people who are in need. I would not think about such action if  I had not attended the San Jose Immersion trip. During the trip, I experienced what was like being homeless. I also learned to break the stereotype I had originally about homeless people that they were just lazy. Therefore, I would "travel" 10,000 miles to tell other people who had the same stereotype as I did that we should help poor people, and to break their stereotype because most of people think that poor people are lazy and dirty, but that was not true. I learned that even well-educated people could be homeless, and I felt bad for that. If people know the real situation they went through, the percentage of poor people will decrease because of our help, and people will build stronger bond among one another. 

Source:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prenotasubito.com%2Fprenotare-volo-una-settimana-prima.html&psig=AFQjCNGTbp_IvSDfvt4cj0k3KPX_K_M0Mw&ust=1460695041702160

Bloge 12

What does it mean to say “Yes” to God?
To say "Yes" to God means that you trust God and you will do anything to worship him. You put yourself into his hand because you believe in him that he can fix your problems. Saying "Yes" to God is good and makes God thinks that you are not the person who will not appreciate his work. For example, Noah said "Yes" to God to build Ark, so that he and his family were protected by God. Because he believes that God does something for reasons and it will not harm his believers. Saying Yes to God means that he is the most important thing in our lives, and you love God. Jesus said in Book of John ”I give you a new commandment:  love one another.  Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for each other.  This is how all will know you for my disciples—your love for one another." 

Alum Post

What does it mean to be a member of the Notre Dame community?

When I interview the graduate of NDB, who is Denise Williams. She is really grateful that NDB gives her. She said "NDB was good helping me grow in my faith by offering great religion classes, and I began to volunteer with young adults with disabilities.

There was a lovely little Nun who worked in the study hall room, & she was wonderful showing me the stations of the cross in the chapel, and she was always there with a smile on her face!  When I went to university I sought out a great youth group in a church!" To be a member of the Notre Dame community means to have faith in you and to have sisters around the world as Ms. Williams said she has a friend is in New York. She often gets in touch with the girl used to live a few blocks away from her who attended NDB also, and they usually watched movies and had lunch and dinner together. To be a member of the Notre Dame community means to be included into a big family, which means you can share anything to any of sister because you can tell anything to your family member. It also means that you can have lots of fun as Ms. Williams said she had lots of fun in aquacades and having lunch with friends. 

Blog #10

Considering the quote: “I have looked into your eyes with my eyes.  I have put my heart near your heart.”, what you have learned and what we have discussed, describe the Sister Dorothy in you...

Sister Dorothy had done many things to people who live near Amazon, and she protected them from natural disaster and worked with them. Sister Dorothy in my is like a hero because she is willing to help the poor people in the Brazil although it is more dangerous to work there. As the world discover lots of natural resources in the rainforest. Gradually, loggers, ranchers and land speculators came to forest and destroying the forest. Sister Dorothy witnessed the destruction of the rainforest. She knew the importance of the Amazon which is like the lungs of the earth. She helped people who lived in the forest and taught them the farming technique, and told them how to protect their family. She also asked for government to send troops in order to protect people, but no one responded. She was named to a "Death List" created by the power brokers in that area. They tries to eliminate all the people who stood opposite side with them including Sister Dorothy. When she was killed, she took out her bible and began to read beatitude. She was truly hero because she saved the forest and the people, although she knew that she would die for doing that. She did not afraid of death. I learned that if people have their own belief, they will not be afraid of anything. I think she is very brave because she worked at very poor working condition but she still felt happy and smiled at the camera.

Journal #9

If we are journeying all our human lives towards perfection, what is the role of suffering? Can suffering provide moments of learning?  For the victim?  For others? Think about what Frankl said as you reflect on these questions: "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering" and "If there is a purpose in life at all, there must be a purpose in suffering and in dying. But no man can tell another what this purpose is.  Each must find out for himself, and must accept the responsibility that this answer prescribes.  If he succeeds, he will continue to grow in spite of all indignities."  

If we are journeying all our human lives toward perfection. The role of suffering will be the assistant of our pursuit of perfection and satisfaction, because people will find a better way not to suffer, and that way will make them become better and stronger. The role of suffering also can remind people to reflect what thing they can do better, and tell them to move forward but not backward. Suffering can provide moments of learning for victims because when they are suffering, and they will cherish the good life they will have in the future. Suffering can provide moments of learning for others because others can learn the suffering experience from victims so when they suffer something, they will get through it quickly.

Overall Reflection

Looking back at the semester, what was good, what would you change and what goal(s) do you have for this semester?

After 4 months study in Notre Dame High school, I learn a lot of useful stuff and also know many friends in this school. There are many things that make me happy about. The first thing is that I get good grade after putting so many efforts in the homework, class assignments, class discussion and class presentations. The second thing is that I make many friends in the school. They help me out with homework and class work. Without their help, I will not get very huge progress like I get last semester. The third is that I have lots of volunteer experience during leisure time. I feel good and helpful when I first volunteer at library. Those experiences are the experience that I cannot have if I just stay in China. 

If I can change my attitude at the first time, I will be more successful now. Therefore, I have some goals for this semester. I will get better GPA this semester. I will try to improve my English this year. 

Look at the two commandments of the New Testament. What do they really mean? If they are followed, how do we live?  What do we need to give up?  Try this experiment: go a day when everything you do is guided by these two commandments.  Reflect: are you happier?  Was it easy?  Why or why not?

There are two commandments of the New Testament-Honor your father and your mother and thou shalt not bear false witness. These mean that you need to honor your parents because they raise you up. People should not lie to other people. If we follow those commandments, our life will be very hard because most of  commandments that we have been given up. We need to give up that freedom that we have right now. When everything I do is guided by these two commandments, I feel that I am happy. I honor my parents by making food and doing everything that they do for me. I feel that is so hard and I understand their life on that day. On that day, I try not to tell the lie, and I feel that I can be the way I am. However, it is not as easy as I think, because I used to be the way I was. It is hard to change, but it is a good thing to change.