Manila Worksheet for visit 24-27 July 2026

A. Fort Santiago

1. What most struck you about Jose Rizal’s story?

2. Are there ‘heroes’ in your own country’s history? What is similar or different about their stories?

3. What biblical characters share similarities to Rizal’s story?

B. Museum of Fine Arts

1. Identify a piece of artwork that carries both political and missional significance. [Photo]

2. How is art used for religious and political purposes? 

3. What do you like in the museum? What don’t you like? And why?

4. What challenges you about the art you have seen in this museum?

5. How do you respond to the central great mural hall?

C. Museum of the People (Ethnographic)

1. What questions do you have about Filipino life, history, culture, social structure and worldview?

2. Can you find anything that connects with your part of the world? (Are there any similarities in textiles, weaving, music, life practices, trade, etc…)

3. What is one new learning for you from this museum? [please include a photo to illustrate] 

D. Casa Manila

1. What do you notice about colonial life?

2. What do you think drove colonial expansion into the Philippines?

3. What impact do you think colonialism has had on today’s Filipinos?

4. What was one item in the museum that stood out for you and why? [photo]

E. Agustin Church and Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

1. What is similar of different about these places of worship to your home church and to the Salakot Chapel?

2. What symbols are new to you?

3. Choose an item to reflect upon:  What is the purpose? What is communicated by the item’s position, size, substance (what it is made of), labeling? [photo]

F. Intra-muros 

1. Why are walls important?

2. What biblical stories make you think of walls?

3. What do you notice inside the walls? [photo]

G. War Memorial

1. Who was fighting who? Who were the victims?

2. What does ‘liberation’ look like?

3. What biblical texts are relevant or connected to what you see as you process post—war narratives?

H. Overall

As you process the visit to Manila, please summarize 3-4 key points about why such a visit is important in understanding the mission context. Pool your responses into a group statement to be included in the Newsletter. Feed your inputs into an AI and ask for an edited 200-300 word summary. See if you are happy with the summary OR create some different prompts to refine the final statement.

Take a group photo.