I visited Cebu in the hot, humid month of April. It was my first time back in the Philippines after many years, and this time, I returned as a lay collaborator of the Jesuits in the mission of Christ. My return to the Philippines was a homecoming in more ways than one.
In 2002, I joined the Jesuit novitiate in Singapore and lived as a Jesuit for 11 years. I left the Society of Jesus in 2015 after my theology formation in Manila. It took me some time to adapt to a new life as a non-Jesuit. I spent a year working for a local consulting firm in Timor-Leste before moving to work for international agencies in the tourism sector for roughly six years. Nonetheless, I continued to take part in Jesuit activities like feast days, ordinations, and other gatherings in an effort to strengthen my relationship with the Jesuits.
Late in 2023, an opportunity arose to work with the Jesuits in their Development Office as a Partnership Building Associate. I considered the role an invitation to rejoin the mission entrusted to the Society of Jesus in Timor-Leste. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to serve my people again through the work of the Jesuits in my home country.
This was how I found myself in Cebu, participating in my first Development Officers training. It was an enriching experience that spanned five days, in which participants discussed the current needs of apostolic projects across our Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, along with any challenges we face in making them sustainable and beneficial to the communities we serve. I came with no prior experience in development work. But the journey was not solely about gaining experience or enhancing skills in seeking financial support or connecting with funders and donors. It was also about deepening my understanding of my role as a Partnership Building Associate aligned with the values and aspirations of the universal mission of the Society of Jesus.
The training itself covered various topics relevant to development work, ranging from fundraising strategies to writing effective proposals and reports to building funders’ and donors’ relations. What struck me most was the word “relationship” as the core of development work, both within our office and with external funders, donors, and other partners. While we explored various effective and ethical strategies for fundraising, the emphasis remained on building long-lasting relationships with those who support our mission. Beyond theoretical knowledge, we had plenty of opportunities to share our experiences and apply critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills to addressing real-world scenarios through group discussions, case studies, and role-playing activities.
The fifth chapter of De Statu Societatis talks about “being” as our identity as Jesuits and lay collaborators in the mission of Christ. This was a major point of reflection for me. This sense of “being” in one mission centred on Christ united us despite our diverse backgrounds and roles. We came together as one family in the Development Office of the Society of Jesus. We built a network of support, acknowledging that some of us were new to this field while others had more experience. This community of support and solidarity continues among us even after the training has concluded.
As I reflect on my experience, I am filled with gratitude. I have faith in the power of human solidarity to help those in need as a way of giving witness to the Gospel’s message of salvation for the world. I am grateful for the knowledge I gained, the connections I developed, and the encouragement I received from the facilitators and participants. The training in Cebu equipped me with new knowledge and skills that will enable me in my commitment to the mission of the Society of Jesus in Timor-Leste. But above all, it is our shared identity of “being” collaborators united in Christ that forms the foundation of our work—for the Greater Glory of God.
Joao Dos Santos is currently the Partnership Building Associate of the Jesuit Region of Timor-Leste. He participated in this year’s Development Officers meeting from 10 to 14 April in Cebu, Philippines.