Former volunteer with The Volunteer Missionary Movement
From Service to Sisterhood Vocation Story
We all have
dreams and one of mine was to go to Africa. Following my graduation from
university I had a profound sense of gratitude in my heart. I felt truly
blessed for all I had received in life and had a desire to contribute something
positive to society, to give something back. Deep within me I felt a tug at my
heart to go to Africa.
I did the
usual homework by looking at different volunteer agencies and finally settled
with V.M.M. – The Volunteer Missionary Movement. This movement was founded in
1969 by a lay woman Edwina Gateley. Edwina had worked in Uganda as a teacher
and this led her to founding VMM. Having gone through the application and interview
process I was accepted and the excitement I felt was uncontainable. My dream was
becoming a reality.
With other
hopeful pilgrims I attended a six week preparation course and during this time
received my assignment. I would be going to Kenya, East Africa. This was a real
joy for me with the added bonus that my mission was to an English speaking
country as I am weak at languages.
I would have
two companions, one was a nurse/midwife and the other was an accountant. We
would all work in the same compound. Here there was a school, where I would be
teaching, a clinic and the office from which this great project would be
administered from. We would live as a Christian Community.
We worked in
a slum or shanty town in the city of Nairobi. It was a small area with over
70,000 people. Everybody was extremely poor, living in tiny houses only 10 feet
by 10 feet, made of mud or sometimes cardboard and plastic with sheets of
corrugated iron for the roof. There was no electricity, running water or
sanitation. There were a few pumps in the slum where the villagers went each morning
with their jerry cans to bring water back to their homes. There were also a few
latrines but often as the queues were long, some would just go to the rubbish
dumps to relieve themselves. I often wondered and marveled at how the people
survived in those conditions and not only survived but emerged each day with a
smile on their faces, thanking God for another new day. In the midst of their
poverty they saw opportunity.
The project
where I worked was initiated by the Sisters of Mercy and from humble beginnings
it grew and grew. At that particular time in Kenya parents had to pay for
elementary school education and for many they could not afford it. Consequently
the children could not attend school. Needless to say when the school was
opened by the sisters and it was free, hundreds of children flocked to it. To
teach there was an amazing privilege. Imagine having students who really desired
to be there. They were extremely eager to learn and worked tremendously hard.
It was truly awesome to see how quickly they progressed - what a sheer joy to
be with them.
During
vacation time I had many opportunities to see different parts of this beautiful
country and experience the Kenyan culture – their rituals, music and dance are
a real treat. To take a safari is a must.
These experiences
of being with the Kenyan people who were so happy although they had little and being
with other long term missionaries who were giving of themselves for the greater
good touched me and changed me. I began to question and ask myself what really
is life all about? What is God asking of me in all of this?
Upon
reflection I sensed that God was asking me to be myself. To be true to the
person I was called and created to be – to listen to my heart, to be in tune
with the movement of the spirit within.
Following
this two year volunteer service I felt called to make a more long term
commitment and sometime later joined a religious congregation and became a
Franciscan Missionary of Mary.
I believe
God gave me this volunteer opportunity to help me to step back a little from
the fast moving treadmill of life and to see what is truly important. As
pilgrims on the journey of life, God travels with us and God gives each one of
us a special mission. God does not force us, he gently invites but are we
listening?
Called to become (by Edwina Gateley)
You are
called to become
A perfect
creation.
No one is
called to become
Who you are
called to be.
It does not
matter
How short or
tall
Or thick-set
or slow
You may be.
It does not
matter
Whether you
sparkle with life
Or are as
silent as a still pool.
Whether you
sing your song aloud
Or weep
alone in darkness.
It does not
matter
Whether you
feel loved and admired.
Or unloved
and alone
For you are
called to become
A perfect
creation.
No one’s
shadow
Should cloud
your becoming.
No one’s
light
Should
dispel your spark.
For the Lord
delights in you
Jealously
looks upon you
And
encourages with gentle joy
Every
movement of the spirit
Within you.
Unique and
loved you stand
Beautiful or
stunted in your growth
But never
without hope and life.
For you are
called to become
A perfect
creation.
This
becoming may be
Gentle or
harsh.
Subtle or
violent
But it never
ceases.
Never pauses
or hesitates.
Only is
-----
Creative
force ------
Calling you
Calling you
to become
A perfect
creation.
For more resources on discerning your vocation through service, click here.
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