A 24/7 MISSION
I want to share some taughts and experiences that I have encountered in this life, as a follower of Christ, we always are to be ready to do God’s mission.
Firstly, I thank God for the gift of vocation given me, specially in this Congregation which helps me discover more how good God is to me. As a religious, I think is easily seen as losing one’s life, just as Jesus words: “Those who try to save their life will lose it and those who lose their life for my sake will save it”. There are times when we are called to surrender life, not in any martyrdom but instances of sacrifice we do in mission for every mission is a mission of Mercy. The Lord wants us to work day and night to continue His mission. Seek His will in mission and embrace it with all our heart. As Mo. Ascencion said: “Great things come in a measure of Love” It means that when we work in the mission we have to do it with love and for others.
When I joined this Congregation, I learned many things specially its way of life , its Charism, spirituality and life in community. As I live in the community of Our Lady Of The Rosary, Oe-Cusse, I came to know that the primary mission of the community is the dormitory or the “Internado”. It is catering children who majority are from the mountain and 95 percent belongs to very poor families who could hardly afford even the basic needs much more for the education of their children. We also gather the young people as our Dominican Youth who come from the different schools. We do work with the Dominican lay and the alumni, grouping them as a “Equipas do Rosario”. Recently, we started the apostolate in education for kindergarten.
Our mission primarily started as promotion of the dignity of women and children through holistic formation, to uphold human and Christian values, to instill trust in themselves and to strengthen their faith, inspiring in them to hope for a better and peaceful living. To provide atmosphere which favors personal reconciliation and healing, to purify the cultural belief and traditional practices which contradict the Gospel and the catholic faith.
The community is collaborating too in the pastoral works: giving recollections during Advent and Lenten seasons when being asked for, visiting the sick, bringing holy communion to the elderly and sick, teaching catechism and language to Portuguese schools as well as in public and government schools. We engage in seeking support for the very poor ones in their basis needs.
Living in the community is where we learn so strip away of self intererst in order to serve others. This, we thank the Lord, for calling us to a blessed and unique mission in life of which we do choose till this day, that which we each have been given to share and to live. Our “Yes” to Him throughout our lives and to never tire of fulfilling His will.
We do hope with the strength of spirit of our Foundres, to help us to go on witnessing Jesus in our lives as this leads us to true happiness in what we do, which is what we value most.
Oecusse community draws me to seek more that love of God in people I deal with in mission.
