Journeying with families and couples in their marriages

Ina Sim (left) with her colleagues from the Archdiocesan Commission for the Family where they seek to empower families to grow into intimate communities of life and love.
 

Journeying with Families and Couples in Their Marriages

Through her work at the Archdiocesan Commission for the Family (ACF), Ina Sim fi nds fulfi lment in helping married couples and families work through their struggles, and centre their marriages and family life on Christ. She also shares how her own prayer life has deepened since she joined ACF.

I have been working with ACF for nearly two years. I am responsible for providing administrative support. I came to learn of this job when I happened to meet the previous executive director who told me about the opportunity. As the mission of evangelising families resonates deeply with me, I was immediately interested.

In my work at ACF, I encounter a lot of people who struggle with their marriages. Many couples who walk through our doors struggle with personal and family issues, and issues relating to the Church’s teachings. So the challenge is in sharing with them God’s infinite love and mercy, helping them to realise that the Lord wants them to be happy, to save them and their marriages.

I believe that prayer is very important in every aspect of life. Since I started working at ACF, I have learnt that praying together is vital. In praying together, we unite as one and become a family. Struggles are a part of life. Without prayer, it will feel like there is no hope in the midst of our difficulties. However, when we pray, we take comfort in knowing that Jesus is always with us, that our hope is in Him and not in anyone or anything else.

Once, while I was praying in the adoration room, I noticed a lady crying. The Lord prompted me to approach her, but I told Him no, because I was very busy and had many things on my mind. Then, just as I was about to leave after my prayers, we happened to make eye contact. I decided to talk to her, and she shared her personal and marital struggles with me. We prayed together and I reminded her to trust in the Lord. To this day, I continue to journey with her.

From that experience, I learned how powerful prayer is, and it showed me that everything I do here at ACF is an opportunity to spread the Gospel. If we are to render help to strangers, we must have the courage to reach out and show Christ’s light to others. My work is guided by these treasured words from Mother Teresa, “Don’t let anyone whom you meet leave unhappy” and “Always do small things with great love”.

Ultimately, working in the Church is not just an occupation, but a vocation. Rather than seeing it as work, it is more a commitment to serve God and His Church. I am truly thankful that I have wonderful colleagues – we pray and share our struggles together as a community. Through them, I can see that this is truly the path that the Lord has called me to, and it is a journey that has brought me closer to Him.