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VOTE OF THANKS
 
What we are celebrating today is God’s faithful accompaniment of each of us through the channels of handpicked individuals: staff and team members of this Institute.  We have experienced God stooping down in the midst of our struggles, abandoning glory so that he can reside with us, just as He did on that first Christmas.

Therefore, it is an honour and joy to render this vote of thanks on behalf of all the participants.   First of all, I thank God for bringing us to this day, which is the moment of truth, because the skills which we have been taught and which we’ve practiced, will be challenged, especially for those of us who will be returning to our respective communities.

Our heartfelt thanks go to you Fr Len for following God’s call to establish an Institute of this calibre. It is most certainly a home away from home.  It is said, that home is where the heart is.  It was here that we have learnt to come home to ourselves!  It is a place where God truly lives in so many tangible ways.  Not hard to see with so many mirrors around. It is here where we are learning to become our own stepping stones to God. 

Fr Len, you are an inspiration and our prayer is that your vision for this Institute may never dim, instead that it be enhanced as you hand over the torch.  That it will continue to shine ever brightly in the lives of those who are fortunate enough to have been here.

Thank you Thalia, for teaching and accompanying  us in the process of listening to our body and paying heed to its memories, while we nestled in the cradles at St Basil’s.  Claire, thank you for your hard work.  Your quiet, but lively presence kept us on our toes in terms of forms, evaluations, boundaries and general norms for the smooth running of the Institute. Certainly the responsibility of a very strong lady!  To the Admin, Kitchen and Cleaning Staff, the Librarian and Handyman for your hard work, support and kindness, be assured, nothing has gone unnoticed, your service is deeply appreciated.

Thank you to the teaching staff: John, Mary and Wijnand: your well-prepared lectures, ever-creative and interesting approach to your sessions,  bear testimony of your commitment, passion, skilfulness and inner beauty.   Marcellina and Marion your clients bore testimony to your dedication, efficiency and skills.  George and Mathew for saying yes, to step into the big shoes of Fr Len to carry this vision forward.  Thank you, dear staff you’ve certainly made a profound impact on each of our lives by being instrumental in unlocking the hidden treasures within us, for helping to break the distortions and transferences, for animating renewal and giving us wings. 

Thank you to the Team: Premila, Bernard, Gerard, Tom, Rudolph, Milton; Ngozi; Blaize and Shanta for your accompaniment, love and patience during Growth Group, Growth Facilitation Practice and Skills Group, for your gentle yet powerful companionship and that added dimension of your unconditional positive regard for us.

To the external staff members: Pat Grant, Gerlinde Willenberg and Jim McManus, in absentia, thank you for jerking us into gear and enabling us to include your lessons into our growth process in a non-threatening way, thus helping us to integrate them into our daily living.

We thank those with whom we rubbed shoulders, who triggered our distortions and enabled transformation to take place in such profound ways.

We thank our congregations for allowing and freeing us to be fully immersed in this safe haven.  

Thank you, fellow-participants and fellow travellers, for the moral support and encouragement in entrusting yourselves in your vulnerability to others, thus anointing the moments of restoration and liberation into moments of celebration.  Whether you who are staying or leaving, I wish you courage and perseverance as you continue to engage with your process of becoming who you were destined to be.

Let us continue to pray for each other, that we may remain faithful to God in fulfilling his purpose of promoting and nurturing life, of awakening hope as His instruments in our transformation thus enabling us to reach out to our wounded community members, students, colleagues and society at large.  
Thanks so much!

This day is essentially about GOD. He is the one who calls us, bandages our wounds, reprimands, consoles, encourages and blesses us!   We are celebrating what He has created, restored, nurtured and continues to sustain.
   
God bless you all and I love you !

Sr Mary Quimpo
Participant  

14th December 2012