Extraordinary Women: Sisters in Rwanda
Hello, I’m Sister Cecilia. I live in Rwanda, a beautiful country in the heart of Africa.
Since I was a child, I dreamt of taking care of elderly people, the loneliest and most forgotten. God called me to do this job in the congregation of Pallottine Missionary Sisters. Some of them are so old and fragile that it is very difficult for them to do some of the most simple tasks. Sometimes they have nothing to eat; we ask the kids to convince their parents to share their food with the elders. Healthcare is very expensive, we provide them basic medical treatments at our dispensary. Many of them live with serious trauma from the past… when a million of us were killed during the genocide, everybody lost someone. When violence stopped, we realized that the most important thing we needed was forgiveness and love. Because without God’s love, forgiveness and reconciliation would not be possible. All that is possible because of you! Thank you ACN! Extraordinary women. Thanks to God. Thanks to you.
REFLECT
“When the violence stopped we realised that the most important thing we needed was forgiveness and love. Everyone had lost someone.”
– Sr Cecilia Pallottine Sisters commenting on the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda where one million people were murdered.
1. Could you forgive someone who has hurt you? Would it be hard to do?
2. What if someone had killed a friend or family member? What would you need in order to forgive them?
3. How do you think Jesus felt when betrayed by Judas?
4. What emotions did you feel as you watched the mission of these Pallottine sisters?
PRAYER
Almighty God and Creator,
You are the Father of all people on earth.
I beseech You to guide all the nations and their leaders
in the ways of justice and peace.
Protect us from the evils of injustice,
prejudice, exploitation, conflict and war.
Help us to put away mistrust, bitterness and hatred.
Teach us to cease the storing and using
of implements of war.
Lead us to find peace, respect and freedom.
Unite us in the making and sharing
of tools of peace against ignorance, poverty,
disease and oppression.
Grant that we may grow in harmony and friendship
as brothers and sisters created in Your image,
to Your honour and praise.
Amen.
Source: ACBC
ACT Say sorry to someone you’ve been putting off saying sorry to
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