7th August 2009
Dear Sisters,
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are real glad to feed you again with what is going on in Brafo-Yaw-Cape coast.
As part of the programme we got the chance of visiting the Elmina castle, before going to the castle we first hard mass at the Elmina St. Joseph minor Basilica the first Catholic church in Ghana, also the catholic museum where the status of our early sisters and SMA fathers have been erected and the cemetery where our early sisters and SMA fathers where buried. It was good but sad experience when we got to the dungeon and the story was told. Our ancestors really suffered, may they rest in peace. Amen.
It was time for the vows which Sr. Bridget Okonye introduced. Participants were (given the tack) to creatively express their experiences of living the vowed life.
Even though the vows Trinity is one we some times talk about them separately. So we used two days to talk about poverty. Sr. Lucy Dumenu took us deep into poverty when she concluded that God is the true wealth of the human heart and when accompanied by the preferential love for the poor it is often practised by sharing the conditions of life of the most neglected as Jesus himself did.
We were also privileged to see and know the structure of the expenses of the congregation, where we get our funds from and where it goes to.
Chastity was next and here Sr. Rachel gave us a deeper meaning of chastity by explaining the different aspects of it. She did not only talk about the vow of chastity but took us into the virtue of chastity.
Obedience followed Sr. Bridget made us to reflect on how we have lived this vow of ‘hearing and responding’ appropriately since first profession. She made us to understand that obedience is an essential requirement for effective co-operation with the saving work of Christ. It is not acting contrary to our will, but uniting our will with that of Christ who is our model.
Leadership was not left out at. Sr. Lucy again took us through the various forms of leadership.
It was time for the unity of the vows since the can not be lived separately. Here Sr. Benedicta made us to understand that the vows are gift of the Holy Trinity, an expression of the love of the Son for the Father. The vows are gift for the Trinity’s mission of love. In making and living the vows we share in the Trinity’s mission of bringing all things together under Christ for the glory of God.
In community life, Sr. Daniela gave a clear picture of how we can be happy community members and to make the community a home having it in mind that the community witness is the essential part of our mission as Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles.
Conflict is a natural part of the human life, it exist in all relationships groups and culture as said by Sr. Lucy who again took conflict management. She said it is advisable not to run away from conflict but to manage it by acknowledging it, identifying, talking about it and then pray.
Farther more, talking about Plan for Apostolic and Community life, Sr. Daniela said that the PCAL is means for living the fundamental values and general directions in our concrete situations with the mission that has been entrusted to the community.
Sisters, after all these days, it was now time to let go hurts, to forgive our own selves and become free beings. This became possible when Sr. Rachel took us through forgiveness. She made us aware that true freedom lies in forgiveness and not in revenge so we decided to forgive instead of taking revenge. It ended with the PENITIAL SERVICE.
We are grateful to you for all your prayers, may God richly bless you. We promise to continue to keep in touch. May God be with you. Please continue to pray for us as we pray for you.
Yours in Christ
Doris Benneh Gyan
Celestina Ikpeni
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