“I called you by your name: you are mine” Isaiah 43:1
This is the Bible text that Marie Ange Ndayishimiye chose as the center and spirit of her perpetual vows.
Her vocation as a Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa is rooted in this call of a personal God, a call by name. It was God who took the initiative and Marie Ange followed with a whole itinerary of Faith and Trust.
The vocation that grows
(Burundi). I witnessed her commitment as coordinator of Catholic movements. At that time, the Lord was already shaping in her a missionary heart that loves prayer and loves to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel. She came with us to the mission and vocation (MVA) activities that we did in our community on the 3rd Sunday of each month. The Lord continued to call her. Step by step, she discovered our Charism and the joy of being a missionary. Marie Ange is committed to listening to the Lord’s calls and responding to Him.
The fruit of her total “YES” to the Lord
Day after day, many little “yeses”, a long journey of missionary experiences in Congo, Burkina, Tanzania, Zambia, and Rome. The sum of all these resulted in a big fruit: the total YES that she gave to the Lord on April 15, 2018, at the Cathedral of Gitega, when before the Assembly she pronounced her final vows. The moment of total giving, the “prostration” with the litany of the saints and the Bishop’s triple blessing was very moving. We experienced tremendous joy in communion with the whole Congregation, with sisters from different countries for the celebration, the family of Marie Ange and many Christians who helped us celebrate in the spirit of the Church Family. Bishop Blaise, who presided over the Eucharist, made this historic event an opportunity to give thanks to the Lord for the Missionary Vocation and an animation to encourage young people to follow Jesus beyond the borders. I want to finish by singing: “Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good, eternal is his Love.”
Sr. Maite Oiartzun, Spanish, on mission in Burundi
