You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (John15:16).
God has his marvelous plan for each one of us. When I was a child, our parish priest was a missionary from Turin, Italy. I was fascinated by the dedication and courage of the missionary priests and of the Missionaries of Christ Jesus (MCJ) Sisters, who worked in our Parish. When I went to the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco as an aspirant in 1984, I saw our missionary sisters and I was always fascinated by their courage and joy in their service. I joined them. During my novitiate experience in Bellefonte, Shillong, living with our missionary sisters as a novice and later as an “assistant” (a junior staff member) of novices, my desire for mission grew stronger. After my profession in 1988, I asked several times to be sent to the missions, but I was not sent. I kept on praying. The missionary flame in me never died out.
It came, however, as a surprise in 2010 when my provincial called me and asked me if I would like to go to the mission, since our Mother General asked for one missionary from our province. It was a tough decision, as I was animator of the community, and had also made plans for many projects and activities in that mission. I spent time in prayer and discernment. Then I felt God speaking to my heart, saying: “You are useful, but not indispensable.” Oh! That was the answer. So, I said my ‘Yes’ to be a missionary Ad Gentes.
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Sr Magadalene Synnah FMA
