A Samaritan Woman Fetched Water in Aranas for the Weary and the Thirsty Travelers








Today's Gospel (John 4:4-26) and several queries from my friends online concerning my blog entry of March 24, 2011 led me to remember a Samaritan woman I met by a spring well in Aranas.


She has been hailed as a woman of substance by several media outlets both local and international. Her laurels include among others the following:
  • Founded the Chameleon Association, a Franco-Filipino Humanitarian organization which shelters young girls who suffered from physical/sexual and psychological abuse
  • Distinction of merit of Knight of the French National Order of Legion of Honor (Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Merite) in October 2008
  • French National Award for Community Involvement and Devotion (Le Prix de Civisme et de Devouement) from the President of the Republic of France, M. Jacques Chirac
  • Honorary Medal (Medaille d'Or) from the town of Chalon/Saone
  • Presidential Distinction of Exception for Foreigners making a significant contribution to the development of the country from the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in December 20, 2008
But long before those recognitions, she fetched water at a spring well in Aranas for the weary and the thirsty. She was among those Europeans, mostly French nationals, who volunteered to construct a classroom at Aranas Elementary School way back in 1994. A community of women in Sitio Anao which was founded by former nuns (Francisca Vega, formerly of the Assumption Missionary and Mila Magadia of the Good Shepherd) facilitated the mission and acted as host to those foreigners. When the project was completed and most of the volunteers had moved on, that lady opted to linger for a while (she stayed for almost a year in Aranas and the rest of her 15 years in Iloilo) and sought other milieus in Panay where she immersed into the communities of the lowly and the marginalized. She was in conversation with Jesus as he awaited for the return of his disciples. She gave him water from the well but he in turn gave her "living waters." And that transformed her life beyond what she dreamed of.

Just a couple of months ago, she came back tracing her steps in Anao, reuniting with friends and the families she learned to love. They were overjoyed upon seeing her, ran to embrace her as one daughter who was long gone and has come home. Despite the absence of roasted pigs and sarciados and mechados, they feasted to welcome her presence.

She's Laurence Ligier, French national. Daughter and sister to many poor families in Anao and Agsili, Balete, Aklan, Philippines. And despite those laurels on her head, she continues to fetch living waters for the weary and the thirsty.


Interviews with Mesdames Mila Cuadernal, Tita Rovero and Mimi Abolucion, Sitios Anao and Agsili, Barangay Aranas, Balete, Aklan, Philippines
My journal of 1994

Photo credit: Photo of Woodcut of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman by Gustave Dore (1832-1893) http://catholic-resources.org/Art/Dore-John.htm

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