“Wow! What a time, what a moment! EAPI, we are going to miss you!… And so, it is with a grateful heart that I represent my colleagues from both PRD and SRE to thank the main staff and the ancillary staff of EAPI for giving us a wonderful experience of love and camaraderie during these four months. To the main staff I will say this: You did not only source out (to a large extent) the best facilitators possible for each module, but you also showed us what true leadership is by serving us with genuine love, humility and care as evidenced by the time and energy you spent helping all of us in our various needs, including offering free haircuts to participants with all types of heads and hair. You are wonderful caring human beings.
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And to all the other staff-You did all you could to make our stay here in EAPI memorable. You went beyond the call of duty to make us feel welcome. We felt at home here, away from home. All of you have been working your tails off, putting in extra hours, and doing so many things behind the scenes to keep EAPI ‘ticking away.’ So, thank you, Maraming salamat po, Cam on, Ham zaa nida.”
“And to you my fellow participants, even though we share the same humanity, we arrived here as strangers. But, after 4 months in EAPI we have become sisters and brothers, friends, and fellow pilgrims on this journey of faith and adventure in hope. It is great to have these certificates, but our time here together has been more than these certificates. It has been about getting in touch with the Divine in each of us, sharing our stories, our aspirations, our anxieties, our hopes, our vulnerabilities and, our fears. It has been about laughing and weeping together. It has been about forming bonds of friendships. It has been about challenging our assumptions and acquiring helpful pointers for the future. That is what will stay with us…. Each one of us can paint our own beautifully unique pictures, of our time here, on this beautiful canvass called EAPI.”
“So, as we bid farewell to each other, let us keep these beautiful memories alive. And to help us do this, remember this remarkable wisdom from Rumi: Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because, for those who love with their heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation. May this holistically transformative experience that we have enjoyed here in EAPI, be evident in our lives and ministries in the years to come. So, weep, laugh, sigh, sing, huff and puff-let the emotions flow. And may Jesus continue to live in our hearts…..FOREVER! “