Consecration for mission implies embracing the universality of the Church, and experiencing the sense of belonging to a single human family incarnated in diverse cultures and religions.
Adu situated in the Coast of Kenya is where I am working. A mission of first evangelization among the Giriama people. I came with a lot of enthusiasm and at the same time with fear. Enthusiasm because I had the opportunity to experience the beginning of a new mission and fear because I did not know how the people would welcome us (the Catholic Church).
Instead, every time I approached the people, came in contact with their beliefs, taboos, customs and values, I experienced the gift of entering a sacred place, a sign that God was there before me with groups of women that belong to different Christian religions taught me to listen and understand them equally; to give the same importance to each one of them as persons. For me, it is a continual learning process that enriches my faith and the faith of each person in the groups.
I experience it in difficult as well as joyful moments: such as funerals and blessing of a newborn child, here the religion/church where the person belongs does not matter, life comes first.
Sr. Isabel with Giriama women, Kenya
Human and Spiritual Values:
Looking backwards, I feel that the people among whom we live helped me grow in assuming many values, such as welcoming and listening.
They helped me to be more aware of listening without prejudice, with an open heart and mind to welcome the newness that they bring to us with their beliefs and customs.
The Spiritual Value that the Giriama people present and transmit to us is the awareness of the presence of God in their lives and the gratefulness to Him for what they have. They have a strong belief in the power of a witchcraft brings them closer to God as someone that can protect them from evil. Through our presence, of the Catholic Church, in Adu people learnt the value of prayer, to feel welcome, listened despite different beliefs and belonging to different churches.
God reveals Himself in my missionary life:
When I meet the reality of some women that walk three to four kilometres to look for water, a need for the daily life, I can see the tiredness in their face. I ask them how they are, and they answer is doing well. In addition, I get astonished to learn the trust in God this people have, that He will provide for them one day at a time. I feel that God is guiding me through the presence of our local people. Being in contact with them teaches me to trust in Him.
Working with the Giriama people in Adu is teaching me that all of us are children of the same God, the same Father, and all of us need to be treated equal. God is teaching me to be here for our people, to walk side by side with them not only doing things but just by being”.
Isabel Maria Pinho Gomes, cms
Missionary in Kenya
