From the PIME Seminary, Tagaytay Our weekend apostolate at Seagull’s is a very unique experience for three of us, Davide, Mario and Yesupadam, to share a time together with those under rehabilitation in Seagull’s. Seagull’s Flight Foundation, a drug de-addiction rehabilitation center in Tagaytay City, has been a refuge for many who experienced addiction to drugs, alcohol and those who have some behavioral problems. The center is located in the vicinity of the most beautiful spots of this city. One can have a good view of the island of Taal Volcano from this center. This kind of set up with all the beautiful sceneries around can surely have some therapeutic effect on the residents. There are various age groups among them; the youngest one is 18 years old. In fact, our first encounter with them came as a surprise to see them as executives. At one time we thought that they were the in charge personnel. This would be more confusing when they share about their life, when one of them says, ‘I went to America’ another, ‘I was in foreign affairs ministry’ and so on. It took quiet a few days to convince ourselves that they were using drugs and to realize that they are of high social standing. Nevertheless they had many bitter experiences in their ‘previous’ life because of which they learned to use drugs when the life looked meaningless for them. It is really heart rending to hear some of their stories. It is here where our great task of convincing them that God still loves them lays. The center consists of 25 to 30 residents, with a family atmosphere, aiming mainly at their rehabilitation, through the combination of both spiritual and psychological programs for a period of seven months to one year, depending on the progress that an individual shows. ‘Graduation’ at Seagull’s is a solemn occasion, when they celebrate the “Return of the Prodigal Son”. Our work at Seagull’s consists of different spiritual programs for them, such as Sunday Eucharistic Celebration by our PIME fathers and the Bible sharing, in which all of them participate actively and share very deep insights. In fact this has been a learning experience for us. Another program is the recollections at PIME Seminary in which they all find a great joy in coming out of the center and spending some time with the Lord and relaxing for a while. However, all our programs for them aim at the experience of being loved by God and His care for them, thereby healing their woundedness and re-instilling in them a sense of hope and meaning in their life, which they have lost for a while. Davide, Mario, Yesupadam. Pime Seminarians