HONOR THOSE WHO HONOR OUR NEIGHBORS

Joan, Sister Antona, Margarita, Yours truly

It wasn't even a week ago that my co-teacher Joan and I along with Sister Antona,  Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, awarded participation certificates to our students for their dedication to learning English. 

This week we, the teachers, also had the honor of attending the Church Women United 's 2016 Human Rights Celebration held at the Southside Community Center in La Crosse. Why? 
You'll have to continue reading.

The day's program started with a welcome from the group's President, Joan, who wears this hat in addition to working with me volunteer teaching English as a Second Language to 4 Latinas. Then the 40 some Church women present were given an agenda by the program chair and were led in song "Shall We Gather at the Table" as a blessing before we went through the potluck dinner line. There were typical Church casserole dishes and salads I remember from my younger days of attending potlucks with my childhood friends. A church potluck couldn't be complete without Green Marshmallow Fluff and Hamburger Casserole, could it? I'd almost consider converting for these great church potlucks. Almost. 

Sra. Antona Schedlo receives JHuman Rights Award

After dinner it was time for the group's Volunteer of the Year and the reason I was there. Sister Antona of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration was honored for her tireless efforts with Centro Latino since its inception in 2014. A very humble Sister Antona reluctantly accepted the recognition.  Sister joked that she only concurred after others insisted it would get the word out about the work of the Center. Although human rights have always been the Franciscan Sisters life work it's a lovely honor the Church Women United bestowed upon our Sister Antona.

Father Patrick Agustine from  Christ Episcopal

Our guest speaker was Father Patrick Agustine, from Christ Episcopal Church who has been an active voice for Human Rights, specifically in Sudan and Pakistan. Father Agustine shared his human rights work and the importance of us all answering the important question of our nation of "Who is our neighbor?" He states G-d gave him a voice to speak out.

He has personally seen and heard about the millions of atrocities in Sudan and Pakistan where human rights continue to be disregarded and has testified about these violations in D.C. Persecution of Christians in Muslim countries with rapes, murders, burnings of crops and villages. He reminded us that it is important to follow St Francis's hope to  'Plant a seed of love.' 

We must give voice to injustices. Thanks to the Church Women United for their mission of remembering "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirits of brotherhood. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms... without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status." ( excerpt from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights UN 1948.)