By Dr. Michael Campos, High School Religion, Theology and Spirituality Faculty
Seminar 3, Day 5: I am Broken
Maupay nga aga!
The morning opened at the Lettuce gardens, in the earth, encountering life at its most vulnerable. Moving lettuce seedlings into individual pots, we observed the ways vitality flows out of the simple encounter of soil, sun, space, and time. At the beds, we carefully arranged mature lettuce plantings where, after a week or so, they would have grown enough to be harvested. Recalling the elaborate salads served at table, we experienced the direct connection of the Farm to our daily nourishment. Staff member, Rinalyn Espera, shared how the sale of these salads sustained the work of the Farm during the pandemic.
Sam opened the day’s conversations by reflecting on “brokenness.” Pointing to the Last Supper, we reflected on the ways Jesus devoted a lifetime of listening to others, where generosity unfolded to personal fragmentation, empathy, and the possibility of shared transformation.
Program Director, Syd Baradi, built on these conversations by sharing how his spirituality, faith, and ministry shaped his more than 20-year work on Sophie’s Farm. Having been among the farm’s first volunteers, Syd stayed on to cultivate its agricultural and land care programs. In the course of a lifetime, Syd named key moments of brokenness that served as the grounding for his commitment to empathy and care. Brokenness offers one the opportunity to recognize one’s strengths, sense of responsibility and capacity to attend to the world’s needs.
Photos by Dr. Michael Campos, Religion, Theology & Spirituality, Faculty
Afternoon sessions reframed brokenness within the context of “vocation.” Rather than describe one’s calling as a linear process — where the one invited responds to and completes the process of invitation — we considered vocation within the spiral movement of a pilgrimage. A “calling,” we learned, arises out of three trajectories:
- Awareness of one’s strengths and areas of growth;
- Others’ affirmation of these personal qualities; and
- Capacity to respond to needs outside ourselves.
The act of “responding” involves a lifetime of reflection, deepening, and constant return to what is essential. Recognizing one’s vocation requires one to pilgrim deeper into one’s brokenness and gifts, to align these with the needs of the world.
The day closed with a walk to the beach at dusk. Crossing the road and hiking through a coconut grove, participants congregated by a banca near the ocean. Staff members lugged a large container of sorbetes — local ice cream — for all to enjoy. As the sun descended into the horizon, the evening sky burst into hues of oranges, blues, reds and yellows. From a distance, we saw outlines of nearby Luzon island. In Filipino fashion, several broke out in song and dance to mark the day’s end.
Maupay nga gab-i!
Good evening!
Convent & Stuart Hall Travel 