From Sister Jacqueline, from Bruxelles, Belgium
A group of my grandniece’s friends asked me if I would agree to meet with the children who were preparing for their confirmation. I agreed, saying that I no longer knew today’s children and that I had lived a very different youth.
On the day of the meeting, I began by asking the children questions to get a sense of their experience of faith, such as:
You had your first communion, what did you like about it? Have you taken communion since then? Do you like taking communion? Why? Are you happy to be making your profession of faith?
I quickly realized that I was way off the mark: these children do not live in a Catholic environment! On the other hand, they were interested in religious life, especially life in Africa. How I lived, in what conditions, whether I enjoyed it all and why.
The children were very interested in the poor lifestyle of the locals. They found it difficult to understand, but they were amazed by their sense of sharing. They couldn’t believe that when I went to remote villages, I always came back with a chicken that I placed on the handlebars of my moped.
I told them that when I first arrived, I found myself in a circle of people passing around a calabash of ‘dolo’ (local beer). When the calabash reached me, I realized that the person handing it to me had leprosy – which was very emotional for me – but I took it naturally and drank.
That’s when all the questions came:
why did you do that? You could have caught the disease, we would never have done that.
It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about welcoming everyone, whoever they are, and even if I had contracted the disease, God would have given me the strength I needed to continue my life in new circumstances. I think that was enough to leave a lasting impression on them about the respect and love we should have for everyone.
On my way home, I realized that I hadn’t answered all the questions they had asked me earlier. So, I decided to write a letter to the children. They may keep it, or not, but they will certanly read it.
Here is the letter:
Hello everyone,
I must say that I had a wonderful time with you on Sunday. You are a group of very open-minded young people with a promising future ahead of you.
I am writing to you because you asked me mainly about religious life, and I don’t think I answered your question directly.
Here is a clearer answer, perhaps, and one that is close to my heart:
A nun gets up early in the morning to read a passage from the Gospel to see what Jesus is saying to her and asking of her that day. Her desire is to live like Him and with Him. She knows that Jesus is always with her and that she can count on Him at every moment, just like any Christian who knows that they are loved by God. Living with Jesus is her life and her strength.
A missionary nun is called to live in a foreign country, to live in another culture, to learn from that culture, which also has much to offer. In the midst of that culture, the missionary seeks to live her commitment to the fullest, knowing that it is God who acts through her if she lets Him.
That is why she is constantly in contact with everyone, whoever they may be. She hopes that the people she meets will ask questions about her life and that in this way she will make Jesus known.
I hope this will be clearer for you.
I love you all and I will not forget you.
