Apostolic experience of the novices in the Communities from January 8 to April 8, 2018

Novices share some of their experiences during this internship period                     

Agape S. Damiano CommunityI cannot begin this sharing without thanking God, who allows me to advance towards the consecrated life, and the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, who offer continual help to us on our journey. The internship spent with the Alleluia community was for me a time of thanksgiving, discovery and transformation through concrete service. This time can be summarized in three ways: 1) learning a life of prayer, 2) developing through community life and 3) engaging in an apostolic life marked by love, availability, humility and listening.

Casa Emmaus CommunityThis time has helped me to grow spiritually, as well as a humanly. It also helped me to better understand religious life with its joys, difficulties and needs. I have grown though this experience and increased my desire to serve God through poor and suffering humanity grow. Veronique Thioune

I give thanks to God and to the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor for their prayers and their affection. I thank Sister Licia, her Council and our formation community who allowed me to participate in an internship in the Kairo community of Samine. This experience was a great joy for me by helping me to “get out of myself.”

Kairo Community, visit of the bishopI went to the suburbs where I met and reached out to poor and the suffering people. Through participating in the various ministries carried out by the Sisters, I made myself available -- and I became more mature concerning my responsibilities. Most of the time I dedicated myself to health service delivery in the clinic, and maternity care in one of the villages served by the mission. This internship was transformational.

I Sr. Pélagie Ilboudo and Anne-Marie Coulidiati prepare the chapel for Eastert helped me to focus on Christ by living His love, in humility through service. I listened to every person I met and, with the support of my sisters and of the Community I learned to understand. Physical suffering brings many other sufferings; it was painful and touching for me to be with these people. This experience urged me to continue my journey to give my life to God according to the Charism of Mother Frances. Anne-Marie Coulidiati

I give thanks to God through Mary and the Holy Spirit, who have always guided me on my vocational journey. I thank the whole Congregation. My internship in the Emmaüs community went well.

I will summarize my experience by sharing these three aspects:

- Spiritual: increasing my intimacy with Christ in prayer, even while working, because He is present in everything I do, and He is the center of everything.

Christiane Diedhiou- Community life: learning to listen and to be available to serve, experiencing fraternity, charity. I committed to community life in a participatory way as part of my responsibilities.

- Pastoral care: making myself available for the pastoral care of the parish youth and also for  the professional group as well as the school, the clinic, and the choir. In the end I understood that to carry out our mission we need to learn ​​openness, collaboration, availability, responsibility – and to develop the ability to listen to each other as well as to others -- and above all, we need to put love in our work, so that everything is directed to the glory of God and to the continuation of Mother Frances’ charism. Christiane Diedhiou

Published: July 31, 2018

                                               
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