We spent 4 days in Mwanza which is the city on the edge of the Lake Victoria. It's quite a sight as from the lake there rises these very impressive steep rock hills. We were greeted at the airport by Sr. Benedicta (Sr Bene). She is from our friend Sr.Chrispina's community. Immediately we proceeded to the market to buy fruit. Sr. Bene said sure come along so we followed her through the large market as she skillfully examined and bought items. We realized very quickly....this Sister is a strong lady and she knows her way in the world. I wouldn't want to bargain against her LOL.
Sr. Chrispina who visited us in Combermere in 2015 lives at St Augustine's University where she teaches because it's too far for her to travel back and forth from the Convent some 45 mins each day. However because we were visiting two of the three sisters, Sr Bene and Sr Gisella came to stay with us at the University too. Also their convent is very under construction so they opted for us to stay at the University.
When we arrived at sisters house Sr Bene immediately set herself to cooking. Philo of course wanted to help and persevered in convincing Sr Bene to let her in the kitchen. Not an easy task. She showed Philo how she makes polenta.
Shortly after this our friend Sr Chrispina arrived. We were so delighted to meet her. She shared all about her love of the ladies at MH Windsor, especially Sandy Woods. The house really took her on when she studied in Canada. She said if not for them she may have gone home. After being in Tanzania for only a short time, I can only imagine how hard it would be to come to Canada alone to study. I don't have to imagine to much because sister explained some of the challanges.
Sr. Chrispina a is a smart cookie and has many important positions in the Church and University. But she is just a regular gal. It was so easy for us to be with her and her sisters. We didn't get to spend tonnes of time with her because there was an unexpected meeting with Chancellor of the University visiting who is a bishop. So naturally she cannot excuse herself because her friends are visiting. But our time with her was very meaningful.
We visited her office and she shared with us about her work with girls and women. She also has done a lot of work in education. She is currently teaching a Masters class for Administrators and Principals in management and oversight in quality of education. Actually we have learned a lot about the education system here in Tanzania. Education is a big focus but difficult to provide access for people. There are so many children and they are really spead out over difficult terrain. It's also hard to find good teachers who are educated themselves and even then the government isn't able to pay them properly. So if you want to have proper education that usually means you'll have to pay for it. More on this later....back to Sr Chrispina!
Sister also told us lots about their community. The Evangelizing sisters of Mary. They were founded in Uganda. Let me tell you these are some serious nuns. Their mission of working in pastoral work has often brought them into dangerous and difficult situations. While Tanzania is pretty safe Uganda and Kenya are not. From our observation their community lives simply and takes thier vows seriously.
Sr. Chrispina shared with us that there can be the problem in Tanzania of women joining religious life just to be able to go to school and to have a job. I can totally see why young women would take that route. However in the log run its obviously problematic as the years go by and these women maybe loose focus and purpose in living their vows because their vocation is not centred on Christ as their Beloved.
Sister says she sees sometimes these women who are sent to study at her school and then away from thier communities they don't really live thier religious life. She is not shy to tell them so! She is a fierce Mama I think. She tells them they are causing scandal to the lay people. If she has a seminar with the sister students she calls them out. Also she has little tolerance for them doing poorly in thier studies. She says they have no responsibility besides study so how can a Nun be failing? The lay people at the school have families and sometimes children. Most people are also working hard to pay for their studies or help their family. She says their is no excuse. I think she is quite an example for these young women. She has worked very hard and studies under hard circumstances. Now she has a fancy position but she is totally given to the service of her community. I think maybe she would rather be more in community. Certainly she isn't a career climber. She is quite warry of the dangers of having money too.
Wow. What a good woman! Our sister for sure! We pray she can visit us on her sabatical this coming year.
She welcomes us so warmly and took such good care of us. Like I said I think she is really a mother. The Church here is so young and for sure blessed to have a wise woman like her in its ranks.
She gave me a copy of her doctorate thesis on education of vulnerable children. I can't wait to start reading it!
Again we were so sad to leave these sisters. For me it was like leaving Sr. Jasmine and Sr. Anitha all over again. I will write more about our adventures in Mwanza. There was many! But I think Sr. Chrispina gets her own post.
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