When God Works in a Foreign Land

This is a little story of gratitude. 

The gratitude of God’s love and faithfulness in a foreign land where I could experience lot of new things in my life journey and mission. It is in Australia, the known city of festivals and creativity. My first step in the country eleven months and thirteen days ago, carried hopes, faith and doubts that always accompany the start of any new chapter. Those feelings were the first steps of a journey that has taught me more about life in a new mission and a new country.

From the day I entered this land, I have been most grateful and appreciative to have responded to the whispering call of God who has sent me “to go out” through my beloved congregation. In gratitude, I thank my beloved Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, my ever-supportive congregation and to all the people who have walk with me on this wonderful journey and mission. This has been a marvelous gift in witnessing God’s transforming love in a foreign land.

At the beginning, everything felt strange: the weather, the culture and strangers who spoke English so fast. It was not easy, however, I realized that God is calling for personal growth. As God has sent me through the congregation to do this mission, I believe that God works with me and He walks beside me in this land. I have experienced the ups and downs of life: loneliness and pain but also friendship, joy and heartwarming experiences. There are lots of people who have taken care of our life in this mission. The experience of hope and faith which is rooted in God gives me courage and strength.

This mission is not only about a place where we go, but it is about a way of being present, a way of loving and a way of bringing God’s light into our world wherever we are. The way of being is about who we become along the way, how we face challenges and how we grow inside. It is shown in our faith and attitude in the community, the church and the school, even when nobody is watching. When we carry peace and courage inside us, then every place can become a sacred space for serving God. I thank God for drawing me into His deeper trust and I smile from within as I say, “Yes, I did it”. On this journey I am still learning and I will continue to learn more and more because I believe that every small step will speak louder than words in any language.