Penin: Catholic missionaries must connect what they do, so that you can do more

Vatican News

She was born and slept in Croatia, she dreamed of the wall of Ivanika Fuller since she became a child to become an envelope. “When I was only seven years old, I expressed my desire: one day I will go to Africa and helped many children there. But she was a girl often sick, and my mother told me that she would not last two days in Africa,” he remembers. Despite his family’s objections, a nun confirmed to her that God protects those who send, saying that nothing bad will happen to her. On the same day, the Evanica Wall, with the help of God, decided to devote his life to the missions. The Evanica Wall graduated in the economy, and while he was working as a project manager, he contributed to collecting funds to build an orphanage in Benin. This occasion led her to volunteer for nine months in Benin, where she remained with the sisters of the miracle medal. It was an experience that changed his life. Upon returning to Croatia, he entered that group, but his heart remained in Africa. After repeated requests, in 2020, his president finally granted permission to return to Benin.

3800 children service in Boys

Now in Porto Novo, Father Evanica is working on a program that guarantees financing, gets and distributes food and oversees the preparation and distribution of hot foods to 3,800 children in five primary schools. He also contacted his country’s sponsors Croatia with Benin’s sisters to help build a third medical clinic in the town of Banjabi Gara. Another of its messenger includes assistance in an orphanage for girls in the town of Affame, which is run by religious sisters. “In missions, there is no shortage of work,” he said. “But when our hearts remain open to children and people around us, God gives us an incredible power to do what to do.”

The missionaries must tell their stories

The Evanica Wall has already understood during the volunteer in Benin the importance of communication for missionaries. “I was shocked by the small number of people who were known in Croatia with their missionaries. Many good measures are hidden, and if people know, they will be inspired to do more. As a missionary once said:“ What is not said is unknown. ”He believes that the missionaries must share what they experience and feel in their hearts.” These stories encourage people to become our hands because we cannot do so. “If you want to go quickly, go on your own. If you want to go away, go with!” All this prompted sister Ivaanika to write about the missionary life, first for a Catholic magazine and then share her life on social networks.

Social networks: a powerful tool for missionaries

According to Sister Ivaneka, the stories shared by missionaries offer a very necessary weight for the most negative news in the media. “The good news is the anticipation of sadness, despair and negativity. I try to share our daily life from a positive perspective, and reveal the existence of God in our meetings and experiences.” While the missionary life stories often suffer, they adopt a different approach. “In every child, in every patient, there is Christ, often Christ who suffers, but attention should not be about the same suffering, but on the way with Jesus of difficulties and within the joy of the resurrection.” Social networks also allow thousands of people to stay in contact with missionaries and pray for them and for people who serve: “Knowing that many people support us by praying a difference. I know that I am not alone.”

Evanika Fuller La La Vida Mesionera Kotdana (Sasa ćTKOVIć)

Challenges cOmart on social networks

Evanika Wall says that communication is not an easy task for missionaries. “It takes a long time and sometimes people do not understand, but the fruits deserve it.” It begins with technical challenges with repeated failures in the equipment due to climatic conditions, current interruptions and unreliable access to the Internet. But even the biggest challenges are generated by cultural and traditional differences between Africa and the West. “Sometimes, when I share the brush strokes from daily life in Africa, I transfer something that the Western audience does not understand and can be cruelly judged,” explains the wall of Evanica. “Work methods, parents and celebration here are different. If these differences are not carefully explained, they can be misunderstood and even lead to counterproductive results.” Despite these challenges, Father Evanica continues to share stories about “Africa”, lighting light on the daily reality of missionaries. “So, through the stories that I share in the missionary life, one heart has been touched,” it is saved, “it is a gift from God.”

Evanika Fuller Wall and her sisters with children in Benin (photo Sasha ćtković)