All posts filed under: Apostolic Experiences 2015

Reports of the Novices during their Apostolic Year 2015

Joey’s apostolic experience

I am almost in my 6 weeks of staying here in Ecce Homo Sion’s Pilgrims House. Hospitality is very alive in this house, and, indeed I have experienced the hospitality of my co-sisters, the staffs, and the workers. Because of my good experience in my new community, my disappointment of not having a visa to Egypt was completely gone, and it boosts my energy to devout myself in my apostolic year. I am delightful living in a different environment where Muslim prayer wakes me up in the middle of my deep sleep which reminds me also to pray with them. In the Guests house, I work every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. I am assigned to some tasks especially preparing the meals which I have to wake up early in the morning to prepare a breakfast. I am also assigned to the reception. I have also some works like doing laundry, ironing, cleaning the house, watering the plants, and among others. These works keep me busy, but I find joy in doing those works. I feel …

Rozeni’s apostolic experience

Nabeul is a very beautiful town rich in crafts especially pottery. When we entered Nabeul we could see many kinds of handicrafts gracing the city. The experience in Nabeul is very rich for me because it means not only being in other country, it is also about knowing the people and their culture, meeting another people, another religious, social, political and cultural reality without forgetting our own, and welcoming this new reality. For me I am very grateful know Nabeul, Tunisia. Looking at the Tunisian people I can feel especially how God is good and loves diversity in his creation. I can open more my eyes and heart beyond the international novitiate which gave me the basis and where I was in contact more with Jewish people . When I saw a Muslim woman in Jerusalem I said to myself I can never talk with her, or be close to her because she appeared to me a distant reality. But now God gave me the opportunity to live for one month in a Muslim country …

Victoria’s Apostolic Experience

Working in the bilingual School „Hand in Hand” For my apostolic experience I worked in the school called “Hand in Hand” which is a school for Arabic (Moslem and Christian) and Jewish children. It is a bilingual school in the languages of Arabic and Hebrew. There are two teachers in each class, one for the Hebrew and one for Arabic language, because the children learn both languages. I am in the first class which means seven years old boys and girls. For me it is a great experience and I tried to challenge myself. Because I belong to the congregation of “Notre Dame de Sion”, this is the perfect place to practice our spirituality. In different missions trying to make peace and dialogue with others who are different and to accept them as they are. I help children who need some help in Arabic language and Mathematics. I play with them sometimes when they have sport time or are in the break. They are very happy when I am playing with them. The teachers encouraged …

Clara’s apostolic experience

Alejandra and I started our journey traveling together to Cairo and then to Berba. Sr. Darlene welcomed us at the airport with a big smile and great joy. George the sisters’ friend picked us up and brought us to our home and the community was waiting for us with a delicious lunch, (Arabic fish). I applied for my visa for Tunis from Egypt so I waited for 2 weeks. I am sure that God is the only one who is providing me this fantastic experience. I really had a deep time there. I went to Berba which is one of the places we have a community in Egypt. It is a small village and natural scenery I saw there was the most beautiful, surrounded by the desert area, the green fields, donkeys, cows, buffalos, hens and cocks and so on and the blue sky made a combination that I felt myself out of the world. Sr. Jackie, the children, teachers and some neighbors welcomed us nicely. During my time in Berba I did some activities …

Alejandra’s apostolic experience

Clara and I – Alejandra – arrived together in Cairo because she applied for her visa for Tunis from here. Three weeks living in Cairo and Berba has been a huge blessing in my life. Everything that I see everyday surprises me. I find it completely different from my country (Guatemala) for example the culture, language, food and the liturgy of the mass too. Going to different places helps me to see the whole picture of the country. Some places caught my attention very much especially going to Berba we enjoyed the view of the fields full of wheat and corn. My impression that in Egypt cows, donkeys and sheep are everywhere. In Berba every morning the people go with the animals to the fields and come back at sunset. I remember the first day when we arrived in Berba, Sister Jackie with all the children and the teachers were waiting for us in front of our house and they welcomed us with a warm greeting and a big smile saying in Spanish “Bienvenida”. Sinse that moment I felt I was at home. In the …

Arlene’s apostolic experience

For our shorter apostolic experience Victoria and I are staying in the Novitiate with Ivone and Colette while we are going to our volunteer work. We are now four in the community and so we are missing the company of the other novices as well as Juliana’s presence whose in holiday at this time. We are maintaining the beauty of our garden and the cleanliness of our house. At the same we are having some time for prayer and adoration. Trudy gave falafel and cd with five movies and so we are also having fun together, enjoying good movies and delicious falafel… written by Arlyne