ssps magazine

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters SSpS Mission Summer 2011

Called by the Spirit ~ Embracing the World IN THIS ISSUE: Promoting Women in Ethiopia Jumping into the Deep End Summer Bible School in Mississippi Year of Jubilee News Notes

Promoting Women through Facilitating Education in Damot Woyde District in Wolayta Zone in Ethiopia Article on page 2

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SSpS Mission Magazine Wolaita is one of the 13 zones in the Southern region of Ethiopia. It is an area where many localities are faced with problems of underdevelopment, characterized by most of the poor places and communities in Ethiopia. Damot Woyde, where the project is located is one of the twelve districts in Wolaita Zone. The population of the district is more or less 200,190 with an average of six family members. It is an area frequently affected by a shortage of rainfall. The use of traditional methods of farming that do not promote sustainable agriculture and over use of farmland in addition to over population have depleted the natural resource base of the area. As a result, food production is low, exposing the population to food insecurity and at times famine.

Most of the people (97%) who are scattered in the countryside are dependent on agriculture for their subsistence. Corn is the major produce. In addition, the people also produce potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, sugar cane and some fruit crops like avocado, bananas, mangoes, etc. There is small animal husbandry that consists of cattle, sheep, goat and poultry in a traditional way.

Many families live together with the domestic animals inside their small traditional Wolaita house made of mud and grass, a heavy risk for their health

especially for children. Since the land for each family is very small, the young boys and girls try to earn their living by selling the local products. Although starvation is annually recurring in some areas; nevertheless, the family works for subsistence.

The increase of population makes the problem more acute with each day. In this reality, the women are the ones who are most in the disadvantaged position. In all aspects of life, they are the least to be taken into consideration when there are opportunities.

The target beneficiaries of the project are girls.

The female children are not sent to school for further studies because they are far away from town where the school is situated. They are made to work as housemaids and by fifteen they are proposed for marriage. To prevent early marriage and to enhance further assistance for higher studies we decided to provide a home where these 20 to 30 girls can live together and provide them with education to be potential leaders of the country. Besides their regular classes, we provide basic conduct education/formation sessions, economic management, positive parenting and leadership seminars.

Through this project we would like to: √ enhance these women to develop their potential; √ empower women to lead; √ uplift the women with higher studies and equip the country with potential personnel in universities; √ help them grow in community spirit so that they may be inspired to continue to help others in the future; √ educate women so they will stop the fast spreading HIV/ AIDS. These are the goals of our project.

Sr. Leema Rose, SSpS

Learning to make herbal medicine Sr. Leema Rose (standing) with a family in Ethiopia

SSpS Mission Magazine

Looking back over three years of my study, I realize that it was like jumping into deep water when I didn’t know how to swim. I dived into this new environment with its culture, tradition, people, language and high academic requirements that were nothing like my Taiwanese world which for thirteen years had been my “sweet home.” I came here to the United States for study with my body, but my heart was still in Taiwan. I missed Taiwan every moment, especially during the difficult time of study. Very often I questioned myself and asked: “God, isn’t this a big mistake?”

However, from my own twentyfive years experience of being in a missionary congregation and having been in missions in different countries for twenty years, the experience of “jumping into the deep end” was not new to me. I had learned to trust God, who is always with me, and will provide everything at the right time.

To describe my experience, I would like to use the picture of the Chinese plum flower and its meaning about dignity. This flower helps us to reflect on people’s admiration of high virtue, as well as the hope for perfect human character. In the freezing winter, the plum blossom, which has been praised by people throughout history, foretells the coming of spring. It is elegant, pure, and charming. The far-reaching scent is pleasant, lofty, and respected. Its perseverance and vital force amidst rain and snow also motivate people to strive forward. The plum blossom is the most beautiful in winter which gives people hope for the wonders of

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spring. Just like the vital force of the plum flower, God’s grace is working in me: I, too, can blossom and I am grateful for all the graces and challenges which help me blossom and praise God in God’s garden.

I still have to face many winds but for me they are the winds of the Holy Spirit which many times just put me in the places and situations which I didn’t always want.

But I experienced God’s prese nce where I am simply in HIS HANDS, being wherever I have to be and being whoever God wants me to be in my ministry.

Moreover, when I think about integration in ministry, I have to bring another image, “Dialogue.” This image brought me to a deeper realization that dialogue is critical in mission as it is in life.

In my understanding, dialogue is more than holding a prayer service together in which scriptures of different faiths are read or hymns sung. It is taking pains to study and understand the other; it is putting oneself in this conviction which also gave birth to the topic of my Doctor in Ministry thesis. This brought me even further to see ministry in mission which happens in and through “prophetic dialogue”.

I believe that coming to the USA for study was the right thing for me. It gave me time and space to reflect; distance from my ministry Continues on page 5

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SSpS Mission Magazine

Summer Bible School in Mississippi June 13 13--17, 2011

On June 10, Srs. Agathe Bramkamp, Uloma Akpa, Salud Osornio and Rebecca Chaan David left Techny, Illinois, for Greenville, Mississippi, a 14-hour driving trip. The next day, Srs. Angelica Chavol, Yuliana Meno and Socorro Rodriguez left to meet them there to form a missionary community to run the Vacation Bible School at two parishes. My heart was 2011 full of expectation Vacat ion B about meeting many ible S chool people during that week.

Five of us stayed in Greenville and worked at Sacred Heart Parish where Fr. Thomas Mullally, SVD, is the pastor and Fr. Pius Lawe, SVD, is the Associate Pastor. The two other sisters went to Indianola to work with the children in the Immaculate Conception Parish where Fr. Tarsisius Pulling, SVD, is the pastor. The experience with our SVD brothers was wonderful. They really cared for us and we enjoyed our time together.

The previous week Sr. Salud and I had been working hard preparing. As we were going to teach about Jesus’ life through Arts and Crafts, good ideas came to our minds, so we enjoyed creating the patterns to show them.

In Greenville, we had 42 children. Sr. Agathe and Rebecca helped teach the life of Jesus through prayer and music, and Sr. Uloma helped teach using drama. Even though not all the children were Christians, all of them participated in the different activities. We divided them into three groups.

We tried to teach them about the stages of Jesus' life: his birth, getting lost in Jerusalem when he was 12 and getting baptized

by St. John the Baptist, after which we explained his mission,

Children working on the crib scene

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SSpS Mission Magazine the

calling of his disciples, and the miracles he performed. Day by day we tried to be creative and we worked very hard in order to get the children’s attention, so our teaching could be interesting to them.

All the children were very happy with the week they had, especially when they were able to see their arts and crafts completed. In Indianola Srs. Socorro and Yuliana tried to teach the same lessons. They had 32 children and separated them into two different groups, Sr. Yuliana taught with prayer and music, and Sr. Socorro with arts and crafts and drama.

Sr. Angelica Oyarzo, SSpS

and time to examine all the gifts which I have received over the years. I carry in me the richness of the experiences and cultures of all those places. I think that I am a person with a new ministerial identity which, in the new chapter of my life, is about to unfold. I humbly offer my commitment, passion, ability, engagement and support to spread the Good News through prophetic dialogue in the medical context to the numerous faithful, good and resilient staff of the Cardinal Tien Hospital. They are endeavoring to create and care for a better Continuation from page 3

It has been three years since I have worked in a school with children and it was a very exciting experience. Although I was afraid to speak to the children at first because I am still learning the language, they were very welcoming and loving. I also had a hard time understanding the children sometimes because of their southern accents. However it was a very positive experience for me. I’m very thankful for all the support I received from our sisters in the provincial house, but also I feel so glad to have worked with Sr. Salud in the classroom, and with every sister who was there. They were a very important support in every moment during that week.

future based on respect and dignity, peace and harmony, commitment and loyalty to human life as the sons and daughters of the One and same God. I am very conscious of the many persons whose help, support, and prayer accompany me in this “Jumping into the Deep End”, my journey. I especially thank everyone in the Taiwan and United States provinces who have been a constant source of support and encouragement throughout this process.

Sr. Mariola Stawasz, SSpS from Taiwan

SSpS Mission Magazine

Page 6 Besides Hallmark and American Greetings, Holy Scriptures has its own expression of Jubilee (see Leviticus 25). The biblical year of Jubilee was introduced by trumpets and its purpose was to give liberty to the enslaved, restore property to the original owner, remit debt to the indebted and allow rest for the laden.

In life’s journey we honor those who have been faithful to their commitments and vows. On Trinity Sunday and June 24, 2011, ten Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters were applauded for their perseverance in 70, 65, 60 and 50 years of service as Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters.

None of us had “jubilee” in the forefront of our minds as we made our first vows. We lived only in the present and lived it to the fullest because we received satisfaction and love in our various ministries.

As we look back over those years we are very much aware of God’s grace and faithful love to us. We are filled with gratitude to our parents, families and to all the people of God who loved and encouraged us in this journey to our jubilees.

Sr. Rose Martin Glenn, SSpS

Year of Jubilee

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SSpS Mission Magazine P.O. Box 6026 Techny, IL 60082-6026 News Notes

Sr. Aprilia Untarto professed her third vows on June 23. Shortly after, she went on home leave to visit her family in Indonesia. She is assigned to Rogers Park Community and will be part of beginning the Life Learning Center. On the same day, Sr. Josephina Kudo, who recently arrived from Japan, professed her fifth vows and will now study English in Epworth, Iowa.

The SSpS, SVD and Comboni Sisters and Fathers celebrated the VIVAT International 10 th Anniversary together at the Convent of the Holy Spirit on Friday, April 29, 2011. The members were welcomed by Sr. Carol Welp followed by an Indonesian dance. Each Congregation shared about their ministries in the Chicago area. Sr. Zelia Cordeiro dos Santos, SSpS, and Fr. Felix Jones, SVD, the Executive Team in New York shared about the growth and activities of VIVAT over these last ten years. Afterwards everyone enjoyed a reception.

In the spring, Sr. Rose Therese Nolta, JPIC Director, participated in a rally and vigil in Evanston, Illinois, to show support and solidarity with workers in Wisconsin and elsewhere.

SSpS Mission Magazine is published quarterly by the

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters Our web site: www.ssps-usa.org

Our phone: (847) 441-0126

Editor: Sr. Elwira Dziuk, SSpS

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The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters are an international community of Catholic religious women serving in 47 countries. Missionary activities include pastoral work and catechesis, education, nursing and health care, social work, adult education, and many other services designated to promote human dignity.