PALANCA
My sister and cousin are going to get confirmed in a few months, and I was thinking about gifts to get them. A few months ago, I went to a retreat that included Palanca, and this might work for upcoming events in my family, including their confirmation.
The following information is from this website:
http://www.tresdias.org/miscel/palanca_what_how.htm
WHAT IS PALANCA?
Palanca is a spanish word that means "lever." Just as a lever enables a person to move something which is beyond normal strength, palanca empowers the accomplishment of things which would not be possible without the Grace of God.
Today, perhaps more than ever, it is necessary to remind ourselves that without God we are nothing, bereft of value, and incapable of doing anything of spiritual value. With that in mind, we must keep the concept of palanca in balance. Palanca is effective only when the prayers, sacrifices and works of mercy are done in conjunction with the presence of the Holy Spirit; allowing God to use us to serve his people.
Palanca must be genuine and offered by communities and individuals living in union with Christ. The purpose of palanca is to serve as God's arms and hands in the lives of the candidates on the weekend by extending the grace which has so freely been extended to us. Bear in mind that letters in and of themselves are not palanca! Letters are merely one vehicle in which we convey the actual palanca being done at that time. In other words, the effort, thoughts and prayers that go into the letters are actually the palanca, not the letters themselves.
GENERAL PALANCA: This is palanca performed on the weekend in general. It is most frequently demonstrated in notes, letters or posters that are addressed to the team and candidates, often accompanied by small gift items or tokens.
Ø The letter should be addressed to the team and candidates on a particular weekend. It should include the actual palanca that you will be providing to the weekend - such as:
o A gift of prayer. Let them know that you will be praying for them. Perhaps you will pray for the weekend everytime you have to stop at a red light, or something like that. They should know it. (And you should be sure to honor your commitment).
o A gift of sacrifice: Perhaps you made something that you are giving to the weekend. Let them know the spiritual significance of the item.
o Try to include an encouraging scripture. Using the theme scripture of the weekend helps to promote the unity of the weekend.
o The letter shouldn't be too long - a maximum of one typewritten page. Keep in mind that general palanca is read by the auxiliaries throughout the weekend when time permits, so the letter should not be too long or complex as it's meaning may be lost.
o This IS where you can refer to your own weekend ("I sat where you are sitting...")
o If possible, include small tokens for the team and candidates. The items should have some spiritual significance and can be as simple as some chocolate or candy, as complex as craft items that you and your Reunion Group made, and anything in between. Remember it's the thought, prayer and service that's important, not the actual item itself.
o Posters with brief notes signed by individuals in your church or Reunion Group are an excellent form of general palanca.
