Poland – Page 6 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

The epidemic of coronavirus as an impulse to act!

29 April, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

I would like to tell you about how God works when Satan tries to destroy on the example of my mission.

As we know, coronavirus is slowly reaching everywhere. Some people believe that God wants to punish the world for sins or has sent a plague on us to convert us. I do not believe that. However, I believe that God can bring good out of every evil. The epidemic obviously destroys, kills and is generally bad, but I think everyone will admit that it also has many advantages – it unites us, rebuilds relationships in the family and more. We could definitely multiply the examples. And this is God’s work. Not the epidemic, but all the good that came from it.

The coronavirus reaching Ethiopia pushed us to action. Last year, I founded “Barkot” Children of Ethiopia Foundation. Together with my husband, we have been running a children’s center in Awassa since October last year. The project assumes the gradual rehabilitation of children and the pursuit of their reintegration into family and society. From the beginning we run open activities to which we were inviting street children. We hired a few employees who were going out into the street to encourage them to participate in it. And in fact a lot of them came from the beginning. We organized recreational, sports, educational, psychological, artistic and other classes.

The next step was to choose regular participants, contact their families and extend the program especially for them, including meals. The third step was to receive the most persistent ones into the center with full accommodation, to prepare them directly for returning home and to school.

But … there was always a but. We were worried whether we would have enough funds for this. In addition, I went to Poland to give birth to our daughter. Except of working for our organization, my husband has another job and, apart from coordinating the work of the center, he could not sit there constantly. In addition, he was going to Poland for a month. So we waited until I returned to Ethiopia. Then more problems – sometimes the police catch the street children at night and place them in collective shelters. If we start the second step, it is not known if our children will disappear overnight (which unfortunately has already happened). Our budget still seemed insufficient to provide some stability for a long time. So how could we work? I noticed that even among the employees there was a certain resignation, lack of motivation, they did not work with such commitment as at the beginning …

And finally the coronavirus appeared in the country. The government closed schools and began to introduce restrictions. For us, conducting classes for children coming directly from the street, especially from the most crowded places, all our activities were put into question. Many organizations stopped working. What to do? Shall we close the center until it’s all over? Then we would have to pay the house rent and workers’ salaries. We would not avoid constant costs that are not so small.

Then we got the idea (I believe that it was from the Holy Spirit) to choose the children to whom we would give shelter during the epidemic. We started preparations, shopping, searching for funds via the Internet. We have become active on Facebook, people have started to be interested in us again and make donations. We have already received seven boys and of course we do not want to keep them only in the center, but work with them so that after some time they can return to their families and start school. Everyone has regained their willingness to work. We have set weekly program and specific plans on what to do with children. A positive change can already be seen from our boys. In total, we are preparing to have ten of them. The coronavirus was still not found in Awassa (and we hope it won’t!)

We have overcome this transition step and I think it is better like this. We needed such an impulse as in this case coronavirus to trust God again that He will lead us and give us what we need to implement His plan. We don’t have money for a long time, but we believe in God’s action and human goodness. After all, our foundation is called “Barkot”, which in English means “He blesses it”.

Magda Soboka, CLM in Ethiopia

Missionary during the pandemic

23 April, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

When I am writing this text, I am in Peru with Agnieszka for a month now, we are learning Spanish in Lima and we are supporting the local Comboni Lay Missionaries Movement in their missionary work.

Wrong.

I would be in Lima if it wasn’t for the coronavirus pandemic, closing the borders between countries and canceling our flight.

At first I thought it was nothing big, we will wait these few days and fly. After, I realized, that waiting time for a flight should be counted in months rather than days.

Many people ask me how do I feel in this transition time, suspension, waiting. However, I look at it from a different perspective. It is true that I am looking forward to my missionary work in Peru, but I do not consider the time I got here in Poland so unexpectedly, as a waste of time, a transitional moment in which I have nothing else to do except sitting and waiting. I came back to my family house in the small village, I am unemployed, I don’t go to the cinema, to the swimming pool, if only I had to go back to my school, I would practically be my childhood again. And on the one hand, it really is, I help my parents in the household, I prepare meals, I spend time with my siblings, I go for walks with dogs and cats, which we have a lot of here.

However, I’m not 12 anymore, so my way of perceiving the world has changed. Many priests emphasize that the time of epidemic is a time of grace, we only have to take it from God. I agree with them. I try to use my free time for prayer, meditation with Holy Bible, reading valuable books, learning Spanish, to really think about myself and my relationship with God and my family.

In is a bit comforting that we are all in a similar situation, not only my plans have been changed without my participation. It helps me to notice the situation of others. Those who died in the epidemic or lost their loved ones. Those who had to give up various trips, lost their jobs or are on forced days off.

Cinemas, fitness clubs, theaters are closed, we cannot do anything personally in offices, we can only submit ready applications or send everything by post. Wherever we go, we have to put on masks covering our mouths and noses, keep appropriate distance from other people, and generally leave the house only when we really have to.

That’s a lot of restrictions for our society, for me too. But I still have food, I can contact my friends via email, Facebook or WhatsApp. Many people work from home because the specificity of their work allows them to do so. Life goes on, although maybe a little slower. Besides, looking at my parents’ life in the countryside, the epidemic did not change much in their everyday life.

Probably the biggest limitation that actually affected me was that I could not physically participate in the Holy Mass, which, fortunately, has changed a little since this week. However, for the first time in my life, I spent the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus at home, adoring the Cross in the room, singing songs with the priest on YouTube and praying the Way of the Cross, walking along a dirt road to the river. At the same time, I feel that for the first time I have deeply experienced the mystery of the Resurrection, which confirms my belief that it really is a time of grace.

Developed technology means that even alone we can still be together. Not so long ago we could all experience it while participating in a joint CLM online prayer. Our Movement in Poland seems to flourish in this difficult time. In mid-March we had an online formation meeting, a joint Holy Mass on Palm Sunday and a joint online retreat about vocation last weekend. On our WhatsApp group, we share good words, support and our thoughts during the epidemic.

The situation that should separate us seemed to connect us even more. This is unambiguous proof for me that God is unstoppable in His love and blessing people. That He could act in our lives and carry out His plan of Salvation in every conditions.

Ewelina Gwóźdź CLM

Agnieszka and Ewelina officially sent to Peru!

15 February, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

Within a week, our CLMs – Ewelina and Agnieszka, were sent to their mission to Peru by their diocesan bishops.

Agnieszka’s Sending Mass took place on 2 February 2020 at 12:00 (still with Christmas decorations) in the parish church in Rybnik-Zamysłów, and it was done on behalf of the whole Church by bishop Grzegorz Olszowski.

“Go and proclaim the Gospel to all creation,” he said, handing her a missionary cross. He also addressed to those gathered in the church: “the rite of sending to missionary paths is not only for Agnieszka, but also for all of you, so you remember about her and support her with your prayers and collections. Everywhere in Peu, where Agnieszka will be, part of your parish will be with her as well” he said.

A week later, on 9 February 2020 at 10:00am, in Krakow, in Our Lady of the Rosary parish, Ewelina was sent to the mission as well.

In his homily, Bishop Jan Zając reminded us that Christ does not say to us that he wants us to become the salt of the earth and the light of the world …

– He says: the moment you joined Me, from the moment the world began to recognize you as My disciples, and since I look at you as my disciples, you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It happens without your merit, but thanks to Me, because I decided to use you for the salvation of others.

Handing Ewelina the missionary cross, he also said that God chose her to go and bear fruit. The cross is to be her help and a sign of hope and comfort.

The girls agree that the whole ceremony was quite stressful for them from the organizational point of view, but at the same time it was very beautiful and touching experience.

Comboni Lay Missionaries, Poland

Three new polish CLM on a mission

16 January, 2020 by Alberto de la Portilla

This year three girls joined our polish CLM movement and are now officially Comboni Lay Missionaries.

Agnieszka, Ewelina and Marcela are currently doing their “life in a community” experience in Comboni father’s house in Cracow.

Soon, Ewelina and Agnieszka will go to Peru for 2 years’ mission, to Arequipa where they will replace Paula and Neuza.

Marcela will join the community in Mongoumba – Central Africa, where another polish CLM – Monika is currently working on the mission too.

These three months are filled with meetings with different people and learning life all together.

They have language classes (Spanish and French), meetings where they discuss and interpret God’s words for Holy Bible.

Ewelina and Agnieszka are volunteers in the family emergency and Marcela started her voluntary work at hospital.

As they say most of their free time they are spending on perfecting the languages, they will soon use very often and on talking with Comboni fathers, brother and themselves.

Let’s pray for them so they could be true witness of God’s love and mercy every day of their mission and their life in general.

Polish CLM

“Trust in Jesus and follow him through the darkness,” says Anna Obyrtacz, a Comboni Lay Missionary in the Central African Republic.

16 September, 2019 by Alberto de la Portilla

She had never wanted to leave. She was dreaming about starting a family and live in Poland’s countryside, but one night in a Dominican church changed her life. Anna Obyrtacz, a CLM in the RCA, speaks of her vocation and her mission in Mongoumba, Lobaye, with the pygmies where she found God.

Reporter (R): Hi Anna! How did you receive your call to serve the Lord as a Comboni Lay Missionary?

Anna Obyrtacz (AO): I had never thought of mission. It had never been my dream or deep desire. I was a young woman looking forward to marriage and a good life in my country. But the Lord is great, and came looking for me to send me to his harvest. Me a missionary? At times, when I think of it I still find it funny, because for years it had never been a deep desire. But now, I assure you, I cannot think of my life without mission and daily I ask myself where this journey from the Lord will lead me.

I studied in Krakow, Poland, where I also started working. My meeting the Comboni Missionaries was totally accidental. For me perhaps, but not for God. It took place in March 2012 in a Dominican community I frequented. On that day, the Comboni Missionaries had organized an adoration.

R: And what happened next?

AO: After graduating and finding a job I continued my little life. I was thinking, as I said, to start a family. So, I was concentrating on my job and on my life of prayer, Mass, the Eucharist, daily prayer. Then, one day, I do not know why, I cannot say, I was inspired to join the student pastoral. It was a ministry called KOMPAS dealing manly with young people. On the invitation of a Comboni Missionary, I joined the team for a retreat. During this retreat I met several people, especially people involved in missionary activities around the world. I had the chance to talk with them about mission and about being a missionary. However, at the time I still had no thought of going to the missions.

R: But after this first retreat experience, you went to Africa. How do you explain it?

AO: Soon after that experience, I began to think of mission. The conversations I had had with the missionaries kept on coming to mind. So, I started having an interest in mission. I started knowing new people, especially among missionaries. Later I had the good fortune to be sent to Uganda for a month as a first missionary experience. It was in 2013. As I left Poland, I expected to find the worst in Uganda, but something within me was telling me that it was worth the try.

R: What was your first impression of Africa?

AO: I have a foggy memory, it was very hot (laughs). At first, I was under pressure and truly wanted to do everything I was told. We had passion, good will, but the language was our barrier. I remember the faces of the children in the orphanage where we worked, who wanted to talk to us, but since we only spoke English and they only spoke their local language, it was difficult. So, being unable to communicate, we simply stayed with them, without words, and this fact moved us deeply.

After spending a month in Uganda, I returned to Poland where I got in touch with the Comboni Missionaries to discern my vocation: to be missionary in Africa? Should I do it at home? Work? Get married?…

R: Did you struggle with these thoughts for a long time?

AO: Very often in life, monotony leads us to change life’s patterns. I thought that I needed to take time to discern my feelings. For this reason, having consulted people who were guiding me, I made a retreat with the Jesuits in Zakopane. It was a time of personal reflection, a meeting with my own self and with the Lord. During these precious days I spent with the Jesuits, the Lord answered all my worries and I also raised questions, but I trusted in Him. There are times in life when we have to learn to be “blind” and let the Lord guide us. In Polish we call it “seeing in the darkness.” You have to decide to step into darkness and let Jesus lead you.

Another facet of my vocation was the support of my family. They supported me a lot both at the beginning and then during my mission experience. I pray to the Lord that he may bless them and fill them with peace.

R: Why Africa and the Central African Republic?

AO: For the Comboni Missionaries Africa is a very special place. Our founder started his mission in Africa and had a real passion for the continent. At the time we had several options: Mozambique, Ethiopia and the RCA. RCA is a post-war country, very unstable, and many people were afraid to go there. There were many reasons to believe that mission in the RCA was going to entail lots of sacrifices: the poor, the war, insecurity, etc. What I dreaded the most was French (laughing). I had never studied it, you see? But I steeled myself with courage, especially following the example of Comboni, to serve the poor. Today I can truly say in all sincerity that the RCA is a marvelous country. Having come to the RCA, it has become like my second country.

R: How did you prepare to go to Bangui, considering your lack of French?

AO: It worked well. I officially joined the Comboni Lay Missionaries on June 12, 2015 in Warsaw before leaving for the RCA, where I was going to learn French. Then, we celebrated a mission sending Mass in my parish of St. John the Baptist in Oakwa on the feast of the Sacred Heart. The celebrant was Msgr. Grzegorz Rys. I went to Congo (RDC) for four months, where I was received by Irene, a Congolese CLM. She helped me understand the African mentality, especially in Central Africa. It was a great time, because I was not only there to learn the language. The day I left for Bangui, Irene gave this advice: “Remember that we are sending you to these people to try to understand them and to love them. Share with them what you have and you will find happiness.”

R: What were the first difficulties when you first arrived in the RCA?

AO: From Kinshasa, where we lived like we do in Europe, I found myself in a forest, without internet, electricity and hot water (laughing). At the beginning it was difficult. Difficult because I did not have many friends and had to start from scratch. But now I am happy, because I have gone much beyond friendship, and now I have a family.

R: What was your ministry in Mongoumba?

AO: The lay community of Mongoumba is made up of four people: one Italian, two Portuguese and I am Polish. We decide in common how to live and help each other. In Mongoumba, the lay people take care of education, the Pygmies and health. As for myself, I worked at the clinic. Concretely, I took care of the Pygmies first and then of undernourished children. Now and then we also organize sessions for the formation of caretakers, etc.

R: Is it a unique mission because of the Pygmies living there? And how do you help this minority?

AO: The Pygmies have a special place in our activities. They are a priority. In this part of the RCA they are not taken into consideration. These are the type of people that our founder wanted to know and serve. However, working with them is not that easy because, for example, they are very free people who do not like to be confined by a structure. Slowly, we teach them to read and write, to keep basic hygiene, how to avoid illnesses brought about by dirt, etc. I tried to show them other ways of life, to live independently, to administer the little money they have.

R: What are the needs in this area? What are the main problems affecting the RCA and its people?

AO: What we need most in the RCA is peace. Peace in the streets, in the hearts, in the cities. People want to live without fear, raise their children, work, grow. Th government must spare no efforts to ensure security for its people, who only want to live in peace. The other challenge for the RCA is education and the creation of business opportunities. Young people should be able to study well, in good conditions and find job opportunities at the end of their studies.

R: What are the dangers of missionary service in this region?

AO: In Mongoumba we are safe, being a rather secure area where we are not bothered. However, the RCA is very big and there are still areas where people are hiding, and live in constant danger because there is still armed conflict. Probably the only real danger is disease. Of course, there are medications available, but you never know where. God, however, always protects us.

R: What do you ask the world for the RCA?

AO: I ask one and all to support the RCA through prayer and especially with concrete help. I refer to help in the way of projects, financial contributions, etc. I also invite other lay people to come to this beautiful country.

R: Anna, what has mission in the RCA given to you personally?

AO: First of all, I learned to open up to other people, very often very different from the way I grew in a different culture. I learned to live frugally, humbly and be satisfied with what we have. This is one of the best experiences I have had. This experience also showed me that, when we leave our biological family, God gives another one.

R: What are your plans for your immediate future?

AO: After my vacation in Poland I will go to Canada for three years to study psychology. It is a program for missionaries. As I told you earlier, if God gives me life, I will return to RCA to bring psychological help specifically to those who have been traumatized by war and others. Back there, I will give hope to those who have been wounded and abandoned.

Interviewed by Eustache Michael Mounzatela