St. Daniel Comboni, a visionary like few others, saw the value of women in mission, especially in Muslim contexts. History has proved Comboni right. Today the Comboni Missionary Sisters continue to be women of dialogue who build bridges and guard life in Muslim contexts. The testimony of Sr. Tsega Haile, a professional Nurse and Midwife who gives service at St. Mary’s Maternity/Hospital, Khartoum, the only Catholic hospital in the whole Sudan, run by the Comboni Sisters, proves it.
“When I arrived to the Sudan, February 2008, I thought to work in a Muslim country would be the hardest thing to do instead what I found is completely different. Working at the maternity, I am in contact with mothers, coming from all ethnic and religious backgrounds, that is, like Christians of all denominations and Muslims, who choose to deliver in our maternity. I witness that the families, at times majority of whom are Muslims, willingly entrust the life of the mother and baby in our hands for the special care and attention offered besides to the values we transmit.
Local doctors, Midwives, professional Nurses, anesthetists and many other workers, who keep the hospital clean and hospitable to mothers with their babies, work with us. Over 130 working force, Muslims and Christians, collaborate as brothers and sisters and give service side by side with us. With time, it becomes natural to share our common religious values and discover that what is good for us Christians is also good for Muslims.
To mention one example, once a Muslim woman came to our maternity accompanying her daughter for delivery but the daughter delayed in delivering. Meanwhile the accompanying lady saw another
non-Sudanese woman, not accompanied by any one, with twin babies and the woman offered all the towels and clothes brought for the baby she was still waiting to see born. Besides, she brought her home along and took care of the twins and their mother until she was capable of taking care of herself. This is just to show some of the amazing human encounters we witness happening in our institutions almost every day.
I am grateful for the rich and collaborative experience I live in the Sudan and its people. To explain it more, I would like to mention specific moments. During Christmas time, many of our Muslim collaborators participate at the preparation as well as the feasting. At times, they are the ones who remind us to decorate and ask us to come together for celebration. The great respect, gentility and generosity they embody as people, is fascinating.
When it is a Muslim religious event, for example, Ramadan fasting and the feasting, we participate joyfully. Their religiosity and corporal discipline, commonly practiced during Ramadan time, has been always a lesson for me and I still cherish it.
One of the most common social events that I participate, whenever possible is, when a family gives a name, called Simaya (Sudanese Arabic), to a newly born child. We happily attend the event; we eat and socialize together and is a joy for them to see us celebrating with them.
As I conclude, I would like to say that the many common values I have seen in my Muslim and non-Muslim collaborators make me dare to say, I have learned that the God and loving Father in whom we Christians believe and profess is also a God of Muslims and non-Muslims as well.
I am grateful for the positive experience I have and hope to have transmitted it to you, my readers. God bless you!”
Tsega Haile, cms
Missionary in Sudan
