Thanks
to a Missionary of Africa, I had the opportunity of becoming acquainted with Africa
and God won me over to his cause to consecrate my whole life to the proclamation
of the Gospel, to the Peoples of Africa, by living in international and interracial
communities… for the dream of God is that the whole of humanity might come
together as a unique family. After my first commitment in the Congregation on
25th March, 2000, I was sent to Burundi.
On 23rd August, 2000 I arrived at Gitega. Our community is situated within a poor
area in a Muslim milieu. I first took nine months to learn the language of the
country, Kirundi: this time was very important to me for through the language
I was able to enter into its culture, its values and its counter-cultures, its
customs, its history and mentality… It was in September 2001, that I started
my apostolic activities: Involvement in Clubs to promote education for Peace and
Reconciliation, and Religion courses to young people of different secondary and
primary schools. I also started to give a Bible course at the Parish, to help
young people to deepen the Word of God and to live it in a concrete way in their
daily commitments.
In our desire to share our missionary vocation with young girls who show an interest,
we organised a programme of activities to last throughout the year: monthly meetings,
missionary seminars during the Easter and summer holidays, giving testimonies
of our missionary life to vocational groups that call upon us.
These different commitments open me out to a very rich range of relations. I notice
that young people suffer from a serious lack of values because of the war, poverty
and the instability of politics and family. I am very happy to be able to give
my contribution in order to build a better Burundi.
All that confirms me in my calling to live my consecration to Christ to the full,
with joy. The Gospel of John, Chapter 15, tells us: "Remain in my love…that
you may bear much fruit." This word is a great light for me, for the unconditional
love of Christ is the centre of my life, the driving force that urges me on to
go and to meet people of other cultures, in dialogue, with respect and through
service. Through a life of celibacy for the Kingdom, I want to give a witness
of how essential it is for me to live this vow as a "gift of God". It
is my free response to the call to live a preferential love for Christ who leads
me to be open to a universal Love. Yes, I have put all my hope in God and in his
invitation to grow in his love beyond frontiers. Day after day, I live the fidelity
of the Lord: "I am with you always" (Matthew 28: 19-20).
This Kirundi proverb: "Agati gateretswe n'Imana, ntigahenurwa n'umuyaga"
(The tree that is rooted in God cannot be taken by the wind), expresses so well
what I am trying to say. For me, it is fundamental to maintain my relation with
Christ in my personal and community prayer, in my rereading of events, in the
Eucharist, in the Sacrament of forgiveness… so many means that help me to
renew my bonds of friendship with Christ and his Mission. Thanks to Him, with
Him and in Him, I can find the strength and the light to meet the challenges of
the missionary life.
What is new this year is the Pastoral work in the Prison. Two Saturdays per month,
I help the women prisoners to deepen their knowledge of the Word of God and to
share about it. I am very happy to be able to create bonds of friendship with
the poorest of the poor, to help them to strengthen their faith and their hope
in Jesus Christ, to pray together and to help one another.
From 10th to 19th
December, 2001, I organised a formation session for the prisoners, with the collaboration
of the Deacon, in order to help the 12 catechists who are in charge, to animate
the Basic Communities in the Prison. That was the first time that I worked with
men prisoners. I truly experienced the power of the Spirit who supported me to
go beyond my fears, and who urged me to cross all barriers in order to help these
men to live a genuine encounter with Christ, source of Love, of Forgiveness and
of Freedom. I can say that I have had a true experience of the call of Christ:
it is like for Mary… a call to maternal love: to give Christ in order that
they may have Life in abundance.
I thank God who enables me to be a witness through so many signs of his Presence
and His love.
Maite
Oiartzun, Gitega, Burundi
Responding
to the challenges of today's world
Jeanne d'Arc Ouattara (Burkinabe)
Jeanne d'Arc Ouattara (Burkinabe) who had done her apostolic training in Kigali,
returned to Rwanda after her Profession on 15th December, 2001. Through her studies,
(she is completing her training as a nurse), and her different activities, she
wants to work for peace, justice and the protection of life.
The nearer I got to the MSOLA Congregation, the more I got to know it and to love
it more and more. >From the very beginning, I had the desire to live the international
and missionary aspects that attracted me when I met the sisters. I am filled with
joy before the riches that this life enables me to discover; but to find it, I
had to search a long time for that "hidden treasure", which is not so
evident. I had to accept the differences… to love myself, to love the other
and to carry my cross with Jesus. It is with Him that we can endure and welcome
all things through love, provided that the will of God be done.
After my profession, I was named for Rwanda where I arrived just at the beginning
of Lent 2002. That was a sign to me that Christ had preceded me in the mission
which he prepared for me. He tells me that to follow him is to live each day with
the joys and sorrows that he offers. The insecurity frightens me, but the assurance
that I feel and the interior peace that abides in me, gives me confidence. Jesus
is my strength and my rock, which nothing can disturb.
It is with my sisters that I want to face the challenges of today: to struggle
and to work so that peace may return, that injustice may diminish and be replaced
by solidarity. Africa has need of peace, of justice and the safeguarding of life
and the future of the children who will be the builders of the future. Children
have need of being loved, of being educated and of growing up with what is necessary
to live happily.
Here in Rwanda, I found a people that is not altogether foreign
to me. I am desirous of strengthening and expanding my relations, to be close
to the people, close to my sisters in community and to be, as far as I can, a
joyful presence, through the studies that I am doing, through the visits that
I make and also through missionary vocational animation.
Jeanne d'Arc Ouattara,
Butare, Rwanda
A missionary must be daring…
Margaret Maamalifar Poreku
(Ghanaian)
Margaret
Maamalifar Poreku (Ghanaian) is in community in Gumo. In her apostolate she is
experiencing the courage to speak the truth.
While living my missionary life, I have come to realize more and more that, to
be true to my vocation, I must dare to talk in front of people in power, for the
sake of others, when the situation demands it.
This has been one of my experiences at the Northern School of Business, where
I am teaching...
When I started my work there, I noticed that the teachers
had a lukewarm attitude towards discipline and they often uttered comments that
expressed their frustration, lack of interest and motivation as far as the discipline
of students was concerned. They said that when students, especially those of Form
Three misbehaved, and the teachers wanted to discipline them, the headmaster would
object to it. The result was a high rate of indiscipline in the school, especially
in the Form Three classes.
I could not believe what I had heard until I witnessed
it. Two prefects of Form Three misbehaved and the disciplinary committee decided
to punish them, but they refused to do the punishment. The committee met again
to find an alternative. But before they met, the students had already gone to
the headmaster and they convinced him that no prefect or Form Three student should
face the disciplinary committee or be punished, to which he agreed without the
knowledge of the committee. So when the disciplinary committee was meeting, all
the Form Three students invaded the meeting and told them the deal they had made
with the headmaster. The committee then dispersed and so the case was closed.
A few days later, they misbehaved again. The situation was so bad that they had
to call the Regional Director of Education at night, to talk to them, but they
insulted him. Just before this, the students had been pulling the shirt of the
senior housemaster, who got angry and told them off.
Since that incident took place at the weekend, the teachers were hoping to be
briefed on Monday morning. But the headmaster addressed the Form threes instead,
and even apologized to them for what the senior housemaster had said. All the
teachers were upset about this but had no courage to tell him.
Finally, after three days, the headmaster met with the teachers. He told them
that the Form Three students are seniors and that they need to be respected and
should not be punished, etc. It was as if Form Three students were above the rules
and regulations of the school. The faces of the teachers showed their disagreement
but they had no courage to say it. After some time, I could not keep quiet so
I said: "Even if they are in Form three, they are still students, and they
are our children, and we have a responsibility to give them an integral education…
and not only intellectual. Because if one's character is well formed, that can
be helpful later for coping with failure. But if one fails academically and also
has a bad character, that person is doomed. Besides they are students like any
other student in the school, and so they must abide by the school rules and regulations,
and if they break them, they must be corrected". In addition I said "Even
though they are in Form Three, they are not kings and queens, for they are still
students". To this, his face fell. As the meeting continued I raised up my
hand again and he did not call me.
After the meeting, one of the teachers came to thank me and said he was very happy
that I spoke because I spoke for them. Then he added: "This is how things
are in this school and everybody is afraid to speak". Since that day the
Headmaster's attitude towards me has changed. But I do not really mind, because
I feel that I said what I had to say.
Margaret Maamalifar Poreku, Gumo community,
Ghana
An
apparent failure, but we remain hopeful !
Margarita Rodriguez Sala (Spanish)
Margarita Rodriguez Sala (Spanish), works at the dispensary in Deli, Chad. She
shares one of the difficulties of her work, the question that she asks about it
and the hope that sustains her.
Our region is actually undergoing an epidemic of measles. Already for a year now,
the parents have been refusing to bring their children to the dispensary to be
vaccinated. They accuse us of having brought the illness and of causing them to
be sterile. We have tried several means of contact: team meetings, meetings with
the village chiefs, information to health authorities, efforts with the population
to create an awareness of the situation. But up to now, there is no change whatever.
After these few years of service in Deli, I am grieved at this situation. I thought
that the people had more confidence in us and in the services we were rendering.
I can't help asking myself: "How is our presence and our mission perceived?"
Despite all, I believe that God loves this people. He is the one who wanted us
to journey this far together and we need to learn to recognize His presence. Despite
this apparent failure, we have every hope that these people will come to understand
that our goal is not to harm them but, on the contrary, that we want to build
a better world with them, one that is happier and more fraternal.
Margarita
Rodriguez Sala, Deli, Chad
An
established Church or first evangelisation ?
Hélène Shalukoma
Furaha, (Congolese) is in mission in Ndoguindi, Chad. She shares with us her questions
about inculturation of Christian Faith.
Since the beginning of my missionary life in Chad, I have been reflecting on a
question that seems to me to represent a great challenge to us missionaries, today.
Can we speak of a mission of primary evangelisation in a Church which has
75 years of existence and where the number of baptized is continually increasing?
Let me give you a fact that can be helpful for understanding my question..
A year ago, the parish welcomed more than 750 newly baptized members. During the
following week of the Baptisms, a few of them participated in the 7 days of initial
catechesis. But, a month later, a great number of new Christians followed the
traditional initiation organized in the village.
This rite of passage of a
male child to manhood has many important aspects. The one who is initiated must
be publicly bonded to the god of the tribe by the offering of a food to this god.
This alliance must never be broken. When finishing this formation, the initiated,
who must no longer remember his past, is led by his godfather to a new life in
the spirit of that god.
It is in this context that I am living my vocation to the full, as a MSOLA, sent
to another people that is still in need of discovering GOD in his liberating grace,
God who is the master of all life. I believe more and more in the power of the
Spirit that alone can dispose hearts to welcome the grace of the God of Jesus
Christ.
Hélène Shalukuma Furaha, Ndoguindi, Chad
Missionary
life in today's world
Columba Thadey Mbuva, (Tanzanian)
Columba
Thadey Mbuva, (Tanzanian), opens her eyes wide on the slavery of today. Moved
by such an experience, she feels herself energised to be a channel of the love
of God towards everyone.
I knew the MSOLA sisters through Sr. Wilma, whom I had met in Tabora at the Student
Centre. There was a library at the Centre and I liked reading. When I saw how
kind sister was with the students who were different from her, I realized that
this behaviour was different from what I had learnt about white people and about
colonization. She had even left her country of origin to come to our country and
spent her time with simple people.
One day I borrowed a book about the history
of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and the Missionaries of Africa.
It was a revelation to me to get to know about these congregations, and in a particular
way, about the MSOLA. We were learning history and all I knew about white people
was that they had colonized us. And there was Lavigerie, a European, fighting
for the rights of slaves and of the African people, and founding a congregation
of sisters in Africa, for the African people! That discovery challenged the ideas
I had before and opened me to another reality.
Years later, Sr. Maite came
to the Teacher Training College where I was studying in Moshi. Then I realized
that she was from those same sisters I had met in Tabora. I was touched by her
talk. I kept in touch with her, and later on I went to stay for a few days in
the community. There, my heart was full of amazement and surprises at the way
the sisters related to one another, their simplicity and equality, and how they
worked with people of different religions: Muslims, people of traditional religion,
Christians of different churches…
After my profession, I was sent to Nairobi. I want to keep in touch with what
is happening here. Some weeks ago I joined a group of the community who took part
in a demonstration and prayer meeting near Naivasha (Kenya), to claim for the
rights of the workers in the flower farms. I was surprised to hear the witnesses
of the workers during our prayer. A young woman walking with a cane told us how
the chemicals used in the farm caused her blindness. Another one showed her swollen
arms and face, and told us that the chemicals had made her, and many other women,
sterile. An old lady shared about her skin infections, their low salary and how
they were obliged to work even when they were sick, and also, how they are sent
out without compensation when affected by a serious illness. Other women complained
of sexual harassment. I had never imagined that such things could happen. This
is the slavery of the 21st century! The flowers, though source of employment,
destroy the health of the workers.
As we were travelling to the area we could
only see flower fields, no farming land. Though it was Sunday, people were working.
Along the road only young people could be seen, no children. The workers' quarters
were very small and some were miserable. And I began to ask myself questions:
"How do these people live? Are they obliged to work on Sundays, even if they
are Christian? Do they need money so badly? Seeing all this, I came to a greater
appreciation of my own country, where people can cultivate if they wish.
During the interfaith prayer, in the courtyard of a Protestant church, I felt
in solidarity with them. "Why is this done to them?" I had a pinching
feeling that made me realise what they were living. I thought of those who make
a lot of money, while others are destroying their life. This was a call to me
to be just towards people… and the need to create an awareness of situations
in which people are obliged to work.
Now, when I see beautiful flowers, I see all those workers behind them. Roses
have got another dimension! This experience has given me an awareness of what
is happening in our society. It was like a passage from hearing to seeing.
As I look at the future of mission, I can't help seeing our world with its many
sufferings: wars, poverty, destruction of slums, people left without houses, tribalism,
diseases, HIV/ AIDS, famine, corruption, people searching for power, exploitation
of women and children, fundamentalism. All these are challenges for us MSOLA.
Looking at these realities I feel full of energy to do something, to help people
to know their rights, to find meaning and dignity in their lives, to channel God's
love for them. I see also, how important it is to work with young people.
Columba Thadey Mbuva, Nairobi, Kenya
Christian…
but only half so?
Christiane
Zongo, (Burkinabe)
Christiane Zongo, (Burkinabe) is on mission in Deli, Chad. She has questions about
implanting the Gospel.
Here is the way I see the challenge to our mission in Africa: What to do so that
the Gospel may touch the African in the depth of his being?
It is perhaps
a bit rash for me to speak of Africans in general. But I am speaking of course,
of the African countries that I have come to know until now. In these countries,
the problem seems to be the same. Many Catholics appear to be practicing and very
committed. But when they are obliged to face a difficult situation, it is as though
their faith loses its foundation and many of them return to their traditional
practices.
PARTAGE
TRENTAPRILE - April 2002
N° 2 and 3 / 2002
S In Burkina Faso, a very
committed woman was accused of witchcraft. She was driven away by her own people
who were Christians, Catholics! That was done openly and to everyone's knowledge,
known even to the priests and religious.
S I knew two catechists in Mali,
who took a second wife. One of them said: "But my wife gave me only one child."
And the other: "My wife gives me girls only; who will be my heir?"
S In Chad, a Christian community had internal problems. The catechist proposed
that they go to the diviner to find a solution.
As an African, these situations invite me to find deeper roots in Christ. If not,
how to be Light if I myself am darkness?
Christiane Zongo, Deli, Chad
Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa
in "Tangaza College"
Four MSOLA students at "Tangaza College" discover signs of reconciliation
and of new hope.
Our presence as MSOLA at Tangaza College in Nairobi is a great opportunity for
us to continue with our mission in a particular way, as students.
There are four of us studying here at the College:
Bonifrida Rutijanwa Nyirabateguzi,
in Social Pastoral Ministry; Jacqueline Sheilla Mpanyula, in education at the
Institute of Christ the Teacher; Ingrid Hager and Maricruz Torres Armenta, in
the department of Theology, doing the two years of Doctrinal Studies.
One of the first things that made a great impact in the college is our internationality;
the four of us are from different countries and everybody sees that.
Other MSOLA have been here before us, preparing themselves for a better service
in the mission and giving their particular contribution to this college and to
the universal Church. We are from nearly one hundred congregations, coming from
all over the world.
We would like to share some events that have helped us to see our contribution
as MSOLA and our presence as signs of reconciliation and new hope.
Once every two weeks we prepare and animate the Eucharist in Tangaza. The way
we prepare and animate it, is very much appreciated by everybody. We take time
to prepare it. It is meaningful and many people have told us that it helps them
to pray. We are happy to do it and it gives us the chance to share with them our
expression of faith, our gifts sometimes through the unique rhythm of the guitar
that Maricruz plays.
Most of the students in the department of Theology are
seminarians. There are very few sisters doing theology. Two of us are following
some of the courses from this department. Our presence as women MSOLA is bringing
another aspect, and our male companions are realizing that women are also able
to follow these studies, and that the faith of women, their life experience, their
commitment as consecrated people have something important to contribute to the
universal Church. They see that women can do things differently; their interpretation
will also bring another aspect that had been hidden from them. All of that helps
to open new horizons, to go beyond the traditional.
Though we are not following
the whole programme of theology, we can already see changes. Many people think
that theology is only for men, especially for future priests, but now they see
that women also, can deepen and study their faith through these programmes.
Ingrid has been chosen to be the class representative of the 'woman'. She
has become the link between women students and the staff, the voice of the woman.
We tell her our issues as women and she brings them to the assembly. In that way
we are sure our voice is expressed.
At the beginning, many people were asking themselves what could women possibly
do in Tangaza. They thought it was only a seminary. Karate Club was seen by some
to be only for men. Jacqueline joined it and has gone very far in the training.
For a time, she was the only woman and had to endure a lot of criticism by men
and even by some sisters. At this moment you can see more women taking part in
Karate. Most of us go there too. She endured and motivated more women to join
the club. It was never meant to be only for men.
At the end of November, Tangaza College organized a Christmas party. We, together
with the Missionaries of Africa, the Lavigerie family, presented a sketch that
is still remembered by many people in Tangaza. It was a great example of collaboration
between men and women and of our love for our religious family. Collaborative
ministry is one of the aims of Tangaza and it is encouraged as well by Boni, in
Social Ministry.
There are many false ideas, prejudices, fixed roles in all of us, the idea that
certain kinds of studies and jobs are only for men or for women. Our presence
as students is giving us the opportunity to proclaim the Good News that reconciliation
is possible, reconciling ideas in collaboration and respect for one another. We
as women, have our experience of faith, of consecrated women in a MSOLA family
that has its particular expression. Through dedication and commitment, we as well
as other women companions in Tangaza, are finding more space to express ourselves
and to collaborate with others. That should give hope to those who will come after
us.
There
are few women, sisters and lay, teaching in Tangaza. Women do realize that their
impact is great. We MSOLA, see this as a sign of hope for the future of our Congregation,
that our sisters may be more involved, or even become members of the staff in
Institutes of higher studies, like CUEA (Catholic University of Eastern Africa)
or Tangaza, whose aim is to form leaders. The presence of women on the staff of
Institutes of higher studies may bring more balance and another vision to the
Church and to society.
As we pursue our formation, we are able to recognise the challenges before us.
Women are encouraged to follow the whole programme of theology, not just a few
of the courses. That is a challenge also to us, MSOLA.
Lastly we would like to mention that another sign of hope for the future is our
involvement in youth ministry. The priority of our congregation is MVA, therefore
youth ministry will bring us closer to them. That will be a chance to awaken in
them their own missionary vocation.
We would like to conclude our message by saying that Tangaza College is giving
us the opportunity to live our MSOLA vocation fully as students and that we are
very happy about it.
Ingrid, Jacqueline, Bonifride (Boni) and Maricruz, Nairobi
South B
A photo
that gives sufficient witness
Angela Damiano Kapitingana (Tanzanian) is on
mission in Uganda. She is of the Kisubi community. Through this photo, she wants
to share her joy at being with the sick and how she brings them "the smile
of God".
Avril2002
n. 2-3 Sharing 30 Aprile
