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The
MSOLA in the Netherlands
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To be back in their home country, to have arrived
at a 'certain age', to be in a home for elderly persons,
to feel the pains and limitations of age... Yet, our
sisters do not for all that, surrender their missionary
flame. They go on living their charism their mission,
till the end. Yes, our charism is present in us and
molds us wherever we are, in whatever we do.
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Sr.
Henriette Eppink and Sr. Alice Baningdom (from Ghana)
animating a group of ladies in a home.
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Our sisters in the Netherlands though living in "retirement
houses, they keep active, putting their abilities, and knowledge
at the service of those who need them.
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See
our sisters at work
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Sr.
Dymphna preparing the paint
and the base for the class. |
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Painting
as a therapy
Sr.
Dymphna is an artist. She has discovered the help
that a creative activity like painting can have on
psychic patients.
So
she took out her paints and brushes and made of painting
a therapy.
A
good number of patients come to her workshop. The
activity and the use of colours and forms to express
themselves helps them to live in better conditions.
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Sr.
Dymphna taking one of the psychic
patients to the workshop.
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With the "homeless"
It is March. It rained the whole night and this
morning the sky is still shedding tears. I set
off for the "Welcome Centre for the Homeless",
on my bike.
It is 9:30 a.m. when Hubert enters. The water
is dripping from his clothing and his sleeping
bag is drenched. Everywhere he walks, he leaves
a trail of water. He spent the night outside
in a tent… no, it was not water-proof.
He would be welcome to sleep at the Centre but
he believes that it is not good to sleep in
a house. There are some members of the Centre
who feel that he should leave, that he should
not come to the Centre for his daily cup of
hot coffee. Voices can be heard. I invite him
to start with a shower. He refuses. He wants
a cup of coffee. A pool of water is forming.
I invite him anew: "Come and put your things
down in the shower and then you will have your
cup of coffee." He accepts.
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Sr.
Leny van Bentun with one of the persons coming
to the Center.
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| Sr.
Joanna Dekkers playing with a child |
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Anthony,
a young boy of 17, cries out: "Sister,
give me a floor-cloth and I will mop up this
water. It's not for you to do. I can help you,
since Hubert can't do it as he is so wet. Let
him go for his shower and change his clothing.
You certainly have other clothing for him."
There is a murmur in the hall: "What you
want to do for the sister is good, Anthony,
but why for him? He has only to do 'like us'."
(the 'us' ghetto which excludes the other who
is different). Anthony looks at them and does
not retort but wipes up the floor of the hall.
Little by little calm is restored. Hubert goes
for his shower, his sleeping bag has been put
in the drier and his tent strung on the large
clothes line. After his shower I take the time
to speak to Hubert and I learn many things!
At noon, over a good hot bowl of soup, a conversation
is pursued between the guests and the volunteers.
Some of them say : "The sister and Anthony
did not get angry. That is why there was no
quarrel".
Sr.
Joanna Dekkers (The Netherlands)
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Growing
old "gracefully"
In
Africa we were always part of the
activities of the area. Today in
Reuver, we continue to be interested
in the events that bring people
together in joy and friendship.
We
are really part of the life of the
village, here: we are members of
the organisation of elderly people,
and we join in the local choir;
we visit the lonely as well as the
families of the lay staff. As we
truly belong to Reuver, we are able
to receive our friends and relatives
for visits. Everyone is welcome.
The
eldest of our sisters, Sr. Huberte,
who is 95, sees her "mission"
as keeping open relations with the
lay staff of the house. They often
go to her to speak about their faith,
their doubts, their family problems...
She promises to pray for them and
spends many hours every day in the
chapel.
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Sisters
from Reuven visiting a
flower exhibition.
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Reuven
community
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We
have been reading and discussing the documents
of the Congregation. Even if our participation
is limited, we are happy to be kept up
to date in what is happening elsewhere.
It reminds us of our "Common mission".
We continue to live it here, while others
are living it in Africa or elsewhere.
We
are learning to better know ourselves.
Self knowledge needs to be deepened even
at our age.
Africa
and its people, and more particularly
the African women, occupy a special place
in our hearts and in our lives. We also
keep an interest in the outside world.
The media is a big help for that, as well
as the ecumenical evenings organised with
a focus on social, spiritual, cultural
or biblical topics.
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However,
elderhood can sometimes be painful: there are frequent
funerals in the house and in our families, and we
are conscious of diminishments of all kinds. But there
are many occasions for courageous efforts to grow
old "gracefully": by keeping an open mind
and heart before the needs and joys of others; by
showing a caring attitude towards one another through
small services and by maintaining a sense of humour
in spite of everything.
Sr.
Joséphine Jansen, (Reuver, The Netherlands)
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